Fire razes Lower Benue River Basin Authority

Fire has gutted the premises of the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, a parastatal under the Ministry of Water Resources located along Makurdi- Otukpo Road and destroyed properties worth several millions of naira.

The fire was said to have started around 9.45am on Tuesday and spread across the premises; the worst hit was the workshop where abandoned and functional equipment are kept.

According to reports gathered, the fire started as a result of electric spark from the power house of the company and later spread to other areas including the workshop.

It was further gathered that the inferno lasted about one and half hours before the fire service could put it out, but not without heavy destruction of the premises.

One of the staffers of the company who spoke to Nigerian Tribune but did not want his name in print said, “I live around the quarters here and we noticed the flame around 9.45 this morning. We rushed to the scene where the fire started and tried to put it out by pouring sand, but it went out of control.

“It was after this that one of us had to call the fire service, but before they could arrive the scene, the fire had spread to several parts of the company, destroying property.”

Another staff who also spoke appreciated God for sparing major offices in the area, saying, “We thank God that the administrative building, warehouses and sensitive parts of the workshop were not affected.”

When contacted, the state chief fire officer, Mr Andrew Onmakpo, who confirmed the incident, said he was on transit but his staff were on ground to put out the fire.

Efforts to get the managing director of the company, Ovun Angba were not successful as one of the management staff contacted declined comment and refused to provide the contact numbers of the MD.