The Enugu State Fire Service has confirmed the death of a staff member, Mr Chigozie Ugwu, after he battled alongside his colleagues, to put out a raging fire at the Enugu State Motor Spare Parts Market.
Ugwu, a mechanical engineer, who led the team of fire officers was said to have collapsed after the team put out the fire that destroyed less than 10 shops along with goods worth millions of naira.
Director of Enugu State Fire Service, Okwudili Ohaa, who confirmed his death to SaharaReporters decried the loss, describing him as a dedicated worker who had 15 firemen reporting to him.
He said, “We were called to put off fire at the spare parts market. There was nothing much about it but when things want to happen, they will happen. We were called and we attended on time unfortunately we lost one of our men who was the leader of the team and the most senior officer on the team.
“He was sick before; we suspect that he might have inhaled smoke. Unfortunately, this guy was a highly dedicated staff member because he was sick and still came to work. If it were some others, they would use it as an excuse.
“The shops that got burnt were not up to 10 because we met the fire on time. So, there is nothing like ‘40 shops burnt’.
“We have deposited his remains in the morgue and I was equally there. We went to the hospital and the doctor confirmed him dead. The fire had been extinguished and they were packing their things when he collapsed. Immediately his men came and held him.
“The inferno that occurred in an open place is not like it was inside the house where you can say that smoke suffocated him but we are not ruling out some atom of smoke in it but what led to this is based on the fact that he was sick. He was one of the best fire officers in the service. He was Engr. Chigozie Ugwu; he studied mechanical engineering at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).
“He was a senior officer and was the best fire officer I had. He was honest and dedicated to the extent that about two days ago some of his people from Ukehe told him to stop coming to work since he was ill but he refused. He told them that since he could still go out, there was no reason for him to stay in the house.”
Regarding the cause of the fire, he said it was still being investigated.
He said it might be connected to an electrical fault in one of the shops.
Eyewitnesses said the fire started in one of the spare parts shops from where it spread to a fast-food joint.
The President of the Spare Parts Market Association, Mr Mike Nome confirmed that millions of naira worth of goods were lost to the fire incident.
Nome said, “It started from one of the shops; when the security men noticed it, they struggled to open the shop but it was difficult because of burglar-proof.
“As they were still struggling with it, the fire spread to the fast-food joint and a gas cylinder exploded, making things more difficult.
“We invited the fire service and they responded to our call. Unfortunately, one of the firefighters collapsed owing to the thick smoke from the fire.
“When his colleagues noticed it, they raised the alarm. We rushed him to the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Parklane, but he didn’t make it. It’s quite a sad development.
“The fire affected over 40 shops and destroyed goods worth hundreds of millions.
“We are appealing to the government and good-spirited individuals to come to our rescue.”