A devastating fire incident has destroyed property worth hundreds of millions of naira at the Ebonyi State Ministry of Health complex in Abakaliki.
The blaze, which affected Block 5 at Centenary City, gutted a critical cold storage facility used for immunisation services. Items destroyed include vaccines, cold chain equipment, solar-powered units, and essential medical supplies.
Reports indicate that the fire consumed vaccine stocks such as BCG, Pentavalent, and HPV vaccines, alongside vaccine carriers, cold boxes, laptops, official documents, five standard refrigerators, two solar refrigerators, 45 solar batteries, and inverters. Hospital beds and mattresses supplied by the National Primary Health Care Development Authority (NPHCDA) for distribution to MAMII local government areas were also lost.
Speaking at the scene, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, expressed concern over the scale of damage caused by the fire outbreak. He confirmed that no lives were lost and commended emergency responders, including officials from the Ministry of Power and Energy, fire service personnel, and security operatives, for their swift intervention, which prevented the fire from spreading further.
Ekuma noted that the cause of the fire remains unknown but revealed that the facility had been without public electricity for about five days. He explained that the solar backup system had failed, prompting efforts to restore power through the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) a day before the incident.
To address the situation, the commissioner announced the formation of an investigative committee to determine the cause of the fire and recommend preventive measures. He also directed that new office spaces be allocated to staff affected within the immunisation unit.
He added that the incident would significantly disrupt immunisation activities in the state, while experts are expected to assess the structural damage to the building.
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Fire Service confirmed receiving a distress call at approximately 5:18 a.m. According to the Operations Officer, the fire had already intensified before firefighters arrived, but efforts were made to contain it and stop it from spreading to other sections.
The fire service also acknowledged recent support from the state government, including the provision of new firefighting trucks, which enhanced their response capability. Authorities have called for additional personnel to strengthen emergency response efforts in the state.
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