Ebonyi Firefighters Arrive Late as Blaze Destroys Building

A fire incident occurred on Saturday evening, razing a storey building opposite Geneza Hotel along Onw Road in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. The fire reportedly started around 6:45 PM, shortly after power was restored to the area by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company.

Residents heard loud explosions, which caused panic, and a 13-month-old twin was nearly claimed by the fire when their mother briefly left to shop nearby. Despite multiple calls to the Ebonyi State Fire Service, no firefighting personnel arrived until 8:47 PM, two hours after the fire began.

The delay led to significant destruction, with the entire building and valuables inside being destroyed. Mike Olem, a commercial motorcyclist, intervened to help prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring buildings.

Residents expressed frustration over the lack of timely response from the fire service, which they attributed to fuel shortages and poor management.