Fire outbreak hits Canada High Commission in Nigerian, two die

The Canadian High Commission building situated at 13010G, Palm Close, Diplomatic Drive, Central Business District in Abuja on Monday recorded fire outbreak, following explosion from the generator house within the building.

Penpushing reports that parts of the building was affected following an explosion which reportedly claimed two lives, as well as two others injured and hospitalised with severe burns as at the time of filing this report

The Head of Operations of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Fire Service, Amiola Adebayo, added that  two people were fatally injured in the incident, while about three or four other victims had been rushed to hospitals.

Penpushing further reports that the fire service boss as at the time of filing this report, however, kept mute on the cause of the fire incident or whether the affected victims were foreign expatriates or Nigerian citizens.

The Head of Public Affairs of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Emergency Management Agency, Nkechi Isa, in a statement said the incident was caused by a diesel explosion in the generator house of the Canadian Embassy.

Penpushing also reports that Isa disclosed that two persons were fatally injured, while two other victims had been rushed to the Trauma Centre of the National Hospital Abuja, explaining that the incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. on Monday when a five-man team from a JMD company went in to service the Mikano generators used by the Embassy.

‘A diesel tank explosion in the generator house at the Canadian Embassy in the Federal Capital Territory has left two persons dead and two hospitalized at the National Hospital Trauma Centre with severe burns. The incident happened at about 10:45 am today’, he said.

‘One of the power-generating sets was said to be working, while the other one was being serviced. The fire occurred when the tank of diesel in the generator house, containing 2000 litres of diesel, exploded. Two of the personnel servicing the generator were fatally injured, and two people survived and are on admission at the National Hospital Trauma Centre with severe burns”, the statement read.

Penpushing reports that the Head of Public Affairs of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Emergency Management Agency explained that men of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Fire Service were able to contain the fire around 12.30 pm, adding that the victims of the fire were Nigerians.

‘Reacting to the incident, the Acting Director General of FEMA, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim Sabo, called for caution in the handling of petroleum products, particularly with the onset of the dry season”, the statement added.

Penpushing further reports that ambulances from the Ministry of Defence Ship House, the Abuja Federal Fire Service, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Emergency Management Agency were reportedly on hand at the scene of the incident.

Meanwhile, eyewitnesses at the scene of the sad incident claimed that the dead victims were blown out of the generator house by the force of the explosion, while one had escaped through the roof. FOOTNOTE: You want to share story with us? You want to advertise with us? You need publicity for product, or service, or   event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348073463653 or email [email protected]