The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has confirmed that a diesel tank explosion was responsible for the fire that gutted a section of the Canadian High Commission in Abuja on Monday, killing two persons and injuring two others.
Mrs Nkechi Isa, Head of Public Affairs of FEMA disclosed this in a statement.
Isa said that the diesel tank exploded at 10:45a.m. in the generator house of the High Commission just as two MIKANO generators were being serviced by a five-man team from JMD company.
“One of the generators was said to be working, while the other one was being serviced when a tank containing 2,000 litres of diesel in the generator house exploded.
“Two of the personnel servicing the generator died from the explosion while two others survived with severe burns and were taken to the Trauma Centre at the National Hospital, Abuja,” she said.
Fire guts Canadian Embassy in Abuja
Isa added that the FCT Fire Service was able to contain the fire at about 12.30p.m. while ambulances from the Ministry of Defence, Federal Fire Service, FEMA were on standby.
Reacting to the development, the acting Director-General, FEMA, Mr. Mohammed Sabo, called for caution while handling petroleum products, particularly with the onset of the dry season.
Recall that a section of the Canadian High Commission in Abuja caught fire earlier in the day.
The cause of the fire outbreak was previously unclear, amidst speculation by eyewitnesses at the scene that the fire could have resulted from an explosion at the embassy’s power-generating plant.
The members of staff of the mission and vehicles were seen being evacuated from the building while dark smoke was seen spiralling from the white building of the mission into the atmosphere.
The High Commission provides visa and immigration services for persons seeking to visit or emigrate to Canada.
It also offers services to Canadians visiting and living in Nigeria and to Canadians in Equatorial Guinea, as well as Sao Tome and Principe.
The Katsina State Government has commenced the deployment of 238 tricycle ambulances to primary healthcare…
Troops of Operation HADIN KAI neutralised more than 1,106 Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists during…
The continued smuggling of petrol to neighbouring countries is one of the reasons the commodity…
Two newly deployed Mobile Police officers attached to Ayilamo community in Logo Local Government Area…
Six political parties are expected to participate in Saturday’s Kano State House of Assembly by-election…
The Kaduna State Government says it has retrieved 500,000 hectares of land from bandits in…
This website uses cookies.