Victims of FESTAC Fire Outbreak Cry For Help

    
Story by AHMED BOULOR

Fire incidents and occurrences have from time immemorial been ghastly and lurid; taking lives and properties completely unaware and leaving its victims helpless.
To say the least, the Nigerian fire service is not living up to its cardinal objective of reducing loss of lives and property due to fire outbreaks to the barest minimum due to its obvious neglect by the federal government.
Such negligence has now rendered two families homeless after an inferno which lasted for over three hours razed their belongings beyond recognition.
Now in great need, the Okafor and Iburuaja families are both appealing to the Lagos State government and by extension the federal government to come to their rescue after the outbreak which torched their homes.
Though there were no loss of lives during the out-break which razed a twin building (house 9 and 10) situated at 5th Avenue, P Close, in Festac Town; Uzochukwu Obiakor Okafor who was sleeping when the fire started was lucky to escape but with severe burns and he is now receiving treatment at the Holy Trinity Hospital in Festac Town.
According to eyewitnesses, the outbreak which destroyed property running into millions of naira started at about 2:45pm on Saturday 18th of July.
Freight forwarder, Mr. Ikechukwu Iburuaja, a victim of the fire-outbreak says he was about to catch some sleep on that fateful day when he noticed smoke gathering in his room. He says he is still in a confused state and is calling on well-meaning Nigerians and government to come to his aid.
"The fire-outbreak started at about some minutes to 3 pm on that fateful day and I was in my room when suddenly, I noticed smoke emanating from my ceiling. Then, we discovered our neighbours building was on fire and my house was also burning too. For three hours, we tried to put out the fire but we couldn't. We even called on the fire service here in Festac but they couldn't do anything. When help came, the fire had already razed our building. It is saddening to note that when situations like this occur, our fire service operatives cannot do anything to salvage such situations. I need help; I have a family of seven and we have all been rendered homeless. My wives jewellery running into millions of naira were also destroyed in the inferno. Due to our homeless state we are most times forced to sleep in an abandoned bus parked in-front of my house. I am an amputee and my prosthesis also got burnt in the fire; I cannot go out to fend for my family, someone should come to my aid."
Ada Obiakor Okafor, a sales representative and one of the occupants of the other building was at work when she got news of the fire-outbreak.
"I was at work, when I got a call telling me about the fire-out break. The fire was probably caused by power surge and there was nobody in our apartment when it started. Our neighbour next door noticed the fire when it started razing their building. The fire service here in Festac could not render any help because they had not functional trucks and water. We are in dire straits and in need of help because we lost virtually everything we had to the fire and are now rendered homeless".
The appeal is coming much so as three other buildings were also razed by fire in similar circumstances at 23 Road also in Festac Town about two months ago.
President Festac Town Residents Association, Shola Fakorede decried the situation as he called on the federal government to do something about the state of the Nigerian fire service.
"What happened here two Saturdays ago was pathetic because the fire service did not come when it was needed the most. The fire started from one house and extended to the other and for three hours residents tried to put out the fire. A call was put through to an emergency line and help only came after three hours by the time which so much damage had been done to both buildings. I'd like to use this medium to appeal to the federal government to do something about the fire service in Festac Town and across the length and breadth of this country to avoid further loss of lives and property."
Worried by the increased cases of fire-outbreaks in his constituency, Honourable Oghene Emma Egoh, the house of representatives member representing Amuwo Odofin federal constituency also called on the state government to come to the aid of the victims.
He made the call when he paid a condolence visit to the families of Mr Iburuaja Ikechukwu and Mrs Okafor Ogochukwu, both neighbours whose houses were razed by the fire. He noted that over the past few months, there had been incidences of fire outbreaks, and in all such cases, properties worth millions were lost without firefighters coming to the rescue of the victims.
He cited several instances like the fire incident on 23 road U close where three houses were burnt.
"The fire incident at number 29 Muse Anidu street, Ijegun Egba, Satellite Town and the one that occurred at Choice Furniture company located at km 44 Badagry express road consumed machines and goods worth over hundreds of millions. In all these cases, firefighters failed to show up in good time at the scenes and in some cases never showed up at all."
He further stressed the need for Lagos state government and the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) to provide an efficient fire fighting services in Satellite Town and Festac Town respectively. He pleaded with the governor Akinwunmi Ambode whom he referred to as "a good man", to come to the aid of the victims financially as they wouldn't have  lost all they had if the firefighters were prompt and responded even within an hour of receiving their distress calls.