Gombe fire destroys N6m property, N20m saved

Property worth about N6 million was destroyed when fire broke out at the staff quarters of the Gombe Media Corporation on Saturday, the Federal Fire Service has said.

The blaze affected a residential building within the corporation’s staff quarters on September 19, but firefighters prevented it from spreading to other buildings, saving property estimated at N20 million.

The FFS Gombe State Command said it received a distress call at 4:06pm and dispatched a 215 Multipurpose Water Tender from its ATM Fire Operation Base.

The crew departed four minutes later and arrived at the scene at 4:25pm, according to a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, ASF Muazu-Bashir Musa.

Firefighters quickly moved to contain the blaze and eventually brought it under control.

The command said preliminary findings indicated that an electrical fault may have triggered the fire.

“The fire involved a residential building within the staff quarters and was suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault,” the statement said.

No life was lost in the incident, while firefighters later inspected the building to ensure that there was no further danger.

The operation was led by DSF Ali Kidams, with IF Adamu Babayo serving as the driver, alongside other crew members.

Personnel from the FFS 256 Mega Park Fire Station, Gombe State Fire Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps also assisted in the operation.

The firefighters returned to their station at 5:28pm after confirming that the premises posed no further threat.

The command attributed the limited damage to the early reporting of the incident, saying the prompt distress call allowed its personnel to respond quickly.

It urged residents to report fire outbreaks immediately and advised property owners to have electrical systems inspected and maintained regularly by qualified professionals.