Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA said it will launch an investigation into the Sunday morning inferno at one of Abuja’s high scale shopping mall, Next Cash and Carry in which goods and property estimated at billions of naira were lost. The building is located in Jahi District.
The fire reportedly started between 6 and 8am according to eyewitnesses.
The in-house firefighting truck was said to have developed a fault and could not be used, leaving the facility managers to wait for emergency services to turn out.
Federal Capital Territory FCT minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello expressed shock and deep sadness over the fire incident. He said the administration would commence a probe of the incident.
The minister in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Anthony Ogunleye also commiserated with the management and staff of the supermarket and the FCT business community over the unfortunate incident.
“The Minister commended the FCT Fire Service, the Federal Fire Service, the Fire Service Departments of the Nigerian Navy, Air Force, Guards Brigade and Julius Berger Nig. PLC that responded with their fire-fighting equipment.
“He equally commended the FCT FEMA, the National Emergency Management Agency, Security agencies and other responders for their efforts in containing the blaze.
“Malam Bello also assured that a thorough investigation will be conducted to ascertain the cause of the fire incident in an effort to prevent a reoccurrence in any other business establishment within the FCT”, the statement added.
Spokeswoman of the Federal Fire Service FFS, Ugo Huan also confirmed the incident and urged motorists to consider using alternative routes.
“Next Cash and Carry Store in Jahi, Abuja is currently on fire. The Federal Fire Service have turned out firefighters to the scene, who are currently fighting the fire.
“The Public are to take note and avoid that route”, she said in a text message to our correspondent.
Also, Director, Forecasting Response Mitigation in the FCT Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, Mrs Florence Wenegieme, said the agency received a distress call around 9:45am and a team was immediately dispatched to the location.
She said as of the town of the report, there was no casualty.
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