By Izunna Okafor, Awka
A Catholic church and a factory were saved from being razed down by fire outbreak that gutted a popular market in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State on Sunday night.
The structures and property were saved, following the swift intervention of the gallant officers of the Anambra State Fire Service, who immediately responded to the inferno after receiving a distress call to that effect.
According a statement from the agency, the distress call was received at about 11:14 PM, concerning the fire outbreak that occured at the Kara Quarters/Market, along the Atani Road in Ogbaru Local Government Area; and which they swiftly responded to, and fought the fire to a standstill, preventing it from escalating to nearby church and factory.
While the cause of the fire outbreak is yet to be ascertained, it was gathered that some property were destroyed during the incident, although, there was no loss of life.
“As at the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, as non of the dwellers could give account of how the fire started,” the statement partly reads.
Continuing, it said: “However SFS Nwankwo who led the firefighting operation advised the dwellers to always switch off their electrical appliances when not in use, fix wirings and connections to avoid power surge, and monitor cooking gas linkages in their homes, to avoid explosion.
“He further consoled those who lost their property during the fire outbreak. There was no loss of life, nor injury recorded.
“The crew returned back to Station at about 0130hrs (1:30am).”
Video from the scene of the fire incident also shows parts of the would-have-been-destroyed church and factory, as well as eyewitnesses who were present, as the firefighters professionally battled the inferno.