FEMA’s Head of Public Affairs, Mrs Nkechi Isa, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.

Isa, who said that no life was lost, added that the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained.

She, however, said the fire was brought under control by a combined team of the Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service, and Julius Berger Fire Department.

The FEMA spokesperson said the agency received a distress call on the 112 emergency toll-free number at 4.05 pm about the fire incident at the market.

She added that the agency, being the lead coordinating body for all emergencies in the FCT, thereafter, activated its stakeholders to ensure maximum response.

Isa identified the stakeholders as the FCT Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, National Emergency Management Agency, FCT Police Command, and Julius Berger Fire Service.

The acting Director General of FEMA, Mr Mohammed Sabo, appealed to FCT residents to equip their homes and business places with basic firefighting equipment like extinguishers and fire blankets.

Sabo noted that the 10 shops affected by the fire incident did not have a fire extinguisher.

He also noted that access to the place was unhampered allowing the fire trucks to effectively fight the fire.

He advised market management to put a fire tinder in place to prevent loss of properties during fire outbreaks.

Sabo also urged FCT residents to avoid storing petroleum products and other combustible items in their homes.

He called on residents to always use the 112-emergency toll-free number in the event of an emergency.

Earlier, Mr Innocent Amaechina, spokesman of the Abuja Market Management Ltd., AMML, who confirmed the outbreak of the fire said that only a portion of the market was affected.

Amaechina refuted the erroneous report in social media that the whole market was engulfed in fire.

The official, who also could not confirm the cause of the fire, said that the incident reportedly began between 2 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

He said that some shops, including the office of the AMML in the market, were burnt down by the fire.

He added that some vehicles parked at the northern parking lots in the market were equally burnt.

“I have not been able to have access to the market to assess the extent of the damage, but the police and fire service officials have arrived at the scene and taken control of the situation,” he said.

Source: NAN

The post Abuja: Fire razes 10 shops in Wuse Market –FEMA appeared first on Frontpageng.

The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, which confirmed the incident in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, said the deceased defied warnings, drove into a pool of water and drowned.

The statement, signed by FEMA’s Head of Public Affairs, Mrs Nkechi Isa, said that the deceased defied warnings from the local divers stationed in the area by FEMA.

It added that the deceased also navigated through the barricade placed by the agency to stop residents from going through the flooding water.

READ ALSO: Police arrest husband, one other for allegedly killing wife in Borno

Isa added that the Search and Rescue Team of FEMA, led by Mrs Florence Wenegieme, the Director, Forecasting Response and Mitigation, recovered the body of the deceased on Saturday.

It further said that the body was deposited at the Asokoro District Hospital where a doctor confirmed him dead.

“The family of the deceased who hailed from Zango Kataf, Kaduna State, has since taken his body away for burial,” Isa added.

Reacting to the development, the acting Director-General of FEMA, Mr Mohammed Sabo, appealed to residents to always heed to the warnings issued by the agency.

Sani said that the FEMA always placed a barricade at Dogon Gada during heavy downpours.

He urged residents not to drive into a pool of water but should wait for it to recede or seek an alternative route.

Sabo commiserated with the family of the deceased and called on residents to always use the 112 emergency toll-free number in the event of a disaster or emergency.

Source: NAN

The post Downpour claims 31-year old motorcyclist in Abuja –FEMA appeared first on Frontpageng.