Cause of Abuja market fire still unknown – FEMD

The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department has again underscored the importance of access in firefighting operations.

The agency stated this while mentioning that the cause of the fire incident at the old Karu Market was still unknown.

The Acting Director General of FEMD, Mrs. Florence Wenegieme, stated this at the old Karu Market, which was engulfed by fire yesterday evening.

She disclosed this in a statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, on Friday.

A combined team of the FCT  Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, and Julius Berger Fire Service yesterday contained the fire outbreak at the old Karu Market in the FCT.

According to Mrs. Wenegieme, who was at the incident scene, the fire started at about 6.30 p.m.

She mentioned that the firemen who were activated to the scene on time were, however, unable to gain access to the market, which is located behind the new market under construction.

“It was the illegal market or settlement behind the new market under construction that was engulfed by fire. We had enough firetrucks and firemen, but we could not gain access to the market, so we had to break walls to have access for the firefighting hose; that was what caused the delay in putting out the fire,” she said.

She  further stated that the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, adding that investigations were, however, ongoing.

She added that “no life was lost to the fire incident; goods worth millions of naira were destroyed.”

The Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps were also on the ground to ensure crowd control.

Wenegieme commended the Department of Engineering Services for activating Julius Berger Fire Service.