Fire Engulfs Edo, Consuming Medical Equipment Worth Millions

Once more, Edo State finds itself grappling with the aftermath of a destructive fire outbreak, this time ravaging property, predominantly medical equipment, in a blaze that engulfed shops opposite the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH)……READ ALSO Fire Engulfs 37 Shops In Kano

Less than 36 hours had passed since another inferno wreaked havoc at Ekiosa market, claiming around 20 shops and resulting in an estimated one billion naira worth of property loss.

The latest incident unfolded when a fire ignited at a shop specializing in hospital and laboratory equipment around 2 pm, swiftly spreading to neighboring establishments.

All four shops directly facing UBTH were reduced to ashes in the fiery onslaught.

According to Mr. Sunday Madubuko, the owner of a boutique adjacent to the affected area, the ordeal unfolded rapidly. His shop succumbed to the flames after a salesgirl from a neighboring store alerted him to the escalating inferno.

Madubuko recounted, “The salesgirl ran to my shop, telling me that fire was burning in our office; I told her I don’t have a fire extinguisher. Before I knew it, the fire extended to my boutique. All I know is that the fire started from the laboratory shop and spread to other shops. The cause of the fire, I still don’t know. What I lost in the inferno is worth over N20 million.”

Efforts to contain the blaze saw a joint response from various firefighting units, including the Federal Fire Service, Edo State Fire Service, the Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport Benin, the University of Benin Fire Service (UNIBEN), and UBTH’s fire department.

Asimu Sumaila, the spokesman for the Federal Fire Service, indicated that comprehensive details were yet to be furnished by the operational commander. However, he assured prompt communication as soon as a comprehensive report was available.

Preliminary assessments suggest that the destruction wrought by the fire is substantial, with goods and property valued at hundreds of millions of naira lost in the conflagration.

This latest incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of communities to fire emergencies and underscores the critical need for robust preventive measures and emergency response capabilities to mitigate such devastating events in the future.

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