Tension gripped residents of Onitsha, a major commercial hub in Anambra State, following a fire outbreak that gutted a residential building on Nkisi Aroli Street, situated behind St. Charles College.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, raged for several hours before firefighters arrived at the scene. Eyewitness accounts indicate that the fire started from one section of the building before spreading rapidly. Efforts to contain the blaze were hindered by poor access roads and the congested nature of the area, which made it difficult for firefighting trucks to get close to the scene.
Although no lives were lost, the fire destroyed the building and several belongings. Residents living nearby were thrown into panic as they battled to prevent the flames from spreading to adjacent structures.
A local resident, who witnessed the incident but chose to remain anonymous, recounted: “The fire began from a corner of the building and quickly spread. Firefighters arrived after some delay and had to extend their hoses across a long distance about four electric poles because their trucks couldn’t access the street directly.”
The Anambra State Fire Service, in a statement released on Wednesday by its Media and Publicity Unit and signed by Fire Chief Chukwudi Chiketa, confirmed the incident. He disclosed that two fire crews with firefighting trucks were dispatched immediately after a distress call was received.
“Due to the tight layout and lack of accessible roads, our trucks could not reach the actual site of the fire,” Chiketa stated. “However, our men improvised by connecting additional hose lengths and managed to bring the fire under control. They left the scene at 12:05 p.m. the same day.”
He added that investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.
Chiketa further appealed to community leaders and homeowners to prioritize the development of accessible roadways, stressing the importance of providing unobstructed routes for emergency response vehicles.
“The experience of our personnel was regrettable. Timely arrival means little if access is blocked. The public must support emergency services by ensuring we can reach affected areas promptly,” he concluded.
