Fire razes Benin shopping mall

Foremost Benin shopping mall, Phil Hallmark, was in the early hours of Sunday razed by fire, destroying goods worth hundreds of millions of naira.

The Managing Director of the shopping mall,  Philip Edigin, said that the fire started at about 12 midnight, adding that effort to get the State Fire Service to come to their rescue proved abortive as the fire service told him they had no diesel to work.

He said he was later able to get help from the Nigeria Air force Fire Service, IDSL NPDC and UNIBEN, before the State fire service came at about 6:00am.

It was gathered that the fire that destroyed the four-storey building was eventually put out at about 11:00am.

The shopping mall is reputed to be the largest in Edo State and the owner had reportedly stocked it with goods ahead of the Xmas and New Year sales.

Meanwhile, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has said that his government will investigate the cause of the fire disaster and the why it could not be put out in record time.

The governor, who disclosed this on Sunday when he paid an on the spot inspection to the mall also said investigation would be conducted into the activities of the state Fire Service.

Obaseki who was shocked at the damage done to the mall described the damage as catastrophic and a major disaster.

According to him, “This incident happening at this time of the year is a catastrophe. I have asked for written report and investigation into the cause of the fire.

“We will also investigate the claim by an official of the state Fire Service on the allegation of lack of equipment.

“Because I understand that trucks were distributed by the NDDC and the State Government during the last administration.”

The governor said that to avert future fire disaster in Super Mart, all vehicles and super Mart would henceforth be made to have fire extinguishers.

Meanwhile a supervisor in the State Fire Service Mr Franklin Agbonlahor has appealed to government for urgent upgrade of facilities and equipment of the fire service station.