8 feared dead in a fire outbreak in Eket

 

No fewer than 8 persons are feared dead in a fire outbreak along 72 Afaha Uqua Road, Eket, Akwa Ibom State on Monday.

Eyewitness account reveals that the fire started from a Gas Filling Store located among chain of stores at 72 Afaha Uqua Road Eket, adding that one of the Gas Cylinders in the shop exploded when the sales boy attempted refilling a domestic (Cooking) cylinder with gas.

“The Sales Boy was carrying a long cylinder full of gas outside in an attempt to refill gas to a customer but unfortunately the cylinder fell off his hands and exploded on the ground, causing a very serious fire that spread instantly to nearby shops including a Restaurant in which many people were eating at that time”, said the eyewitness who gave her name as Imaobong.
An officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) whose name could not be gotten as of press time and his female visitor were badly burnt, said the source.

When contracted, the Public Relation Officer of FRSC Eket said the commission took the affected officer and other victims to various Private Hospitals in the city since the General Hospital could not admit them due to the on-going strike by members of the Nigerian Medical Association and Allied Workers.

A lucky survivor, whose Hair Dressing Salon was razed down lamented over the incident and claimed that she has lost property worth millions of Naira in the inferno.
She gave her name as Miss Ethel Bassey and called on the State Government through the House of Assembly to enact a Law Banning the sales of gas and petrol within residential buildings;
Miss Bassey said the casualty would have been avoided if the Gas

Shop was located in an exclusive area meant for such business while calling for assistance from the Disaster Management Relief Agency (DMRA) Akwa Ibom.

Another victim of the fire disaster who escaped unhurt but not without loosing property worth millions of naira said but for the quick intervention of the State fire service Eket, the fire would have caused unimaginable damages because of the cluster of houses around the area.