Fire has gutted a three-storey residential building comprising 16 units of three-bedroom flats along Old Gwarimpa Road, Abuja.
The Federal Fire Service, in a statement on Wednesday morning, said its Control Room received the distress call at 7:01 p.m. on Tuesday and immediately turned out responders who battled the fire for about five hours.
“The Federal Fire Service (FFS) has responded to a fire outbreak at a three-storey residential building comprising 16 units of three-bedroom flats along Old Gwarimpa Road, Abuja. The Control Room received the distress call at 19:01 hours, immediately turning out responders who battled the fire for about five hours,” the statement said.
Upon arrival, it said the fire had engulfed the top floor of the building, covering an estimated area of 500 square metres.
“The fire was successfully extinguished through the coordinated efforts of multiple FFS stations, the FCT Fire Service, Julius Berger Fire Service and the NJC Fire Service,” it said.
No casualties recorded
The Fire Service said no casualties, injuries or fatalities were recorded.
“The estimated value of the property was N1.5 billion, with losses estimated at N200 million and property worth approximately N1.3 billion saved.
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Preliminary observations suggest a possible electrical surge as the cause of the fire; however, this remains subject to confirmation,” it said.
Following an inspection confirming that no further signs of fire remained, it said personnel and appliances returned to their respective stations at 12:06 a.m. on Wednesday.
The Federal Fire Service advised residents, landlords and property managers to ensure regular inspection of electrical installations by qualified electricians, avoid overloading sockets, replace faulty wiring promptly, and install functional smoke detectors and suitable fire extinguishers.
Residents were also urged to keep emergency exits clear and familiarise themselves with evacuation procedures.
