Fire razes residence of former UBTH CMD

IT was weeping and wailing on Friday as the residence of the former Chief Medical Director of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof. Michael Ibadin was completely burnt down on Thursday night by fire apparently from a power surge.

Valuable documents, including certificates and property worth millions of naira were destroyed in the inferno which started on Thursday night at about 7:00 pm.

The deternined efforts by men of the various fire services in the state and university proved futile as the whole top floor of the duplex located at the University of Benin Senior staff quarters was completely razed down.

On a visit to the burnt building yesterday, the renowned paediatric was seen, trying to salvage whatever valuables he could from it.

Ibadin explained that there was blackout and that he put on the generator, but that he noticed fume coming from one of the rooms shortly after it was switched on.

According to him, he immediately switched it off and combatted the raging fire with the help of neighbours and some security men who rushed in but their combined efforts proved fruitless.

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He added that he contacted the university fire service station, just a stone throw to his house and that of UBTH, adding that their efforts was not good enough.

While insisting that he was not impressed at all with the poor response by the different fire services, Ibadin noted that the fire would have been easily curtailed.

He stated that the university fire service exhausted the water in their vehicle and that the fire raged on until the military fire fighters from the nearby army base came in at the last minute and succeeded in putting it out.

Ibadin who stated that he didn’t know the exact cause of the fire outbreak, however suspected electrical surge.

He said: “The response of fire service in UNIBEN and UBTH was tardy. Again, maybe it is an eye-opener to the university. UNIBEN fire service was the first I contacted because they are closest to my house. While they were battling to stop the fire, I called for UBTH fire fighters just incase they are overwhelmed.”

I think some  good neighbours  also called the Edo State Fire Service and the Army fire service to come to my rescue, but nothing much was done.”

Ibadan added: “I losted everything I ever worked for in life, including my certificates, and other vital documents and my clothes. I couldn’t remove anything from my rooms, not even my handset, every thing was completely burnt down. My entire three bedrooms was not spared in the fire outbreak, but I thank God no life was lost.