A mysterious fire has destroyed property worth hundreds of millions of naira at Block 5, Centenary City, Ministry of Health in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
The inferno affected a cold storage facility housing immunisation and solar units, leading to the loss of vaccines, vaccine carriers, cold chain boxes, laptops, vital documents, refrigerators, solar refrigerators, batteries, and inverters.
Also destroyed were hospital beds and mattresses supplied by the National Primary Health Care Development Authority (NPHCDA) for distribution to MAMII local government areas.
Speaking at the scene, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, lamented the extent of the damage but expressed gratitude that no lives were lost.
According to him, “different vaccines like BCG, Penta, the HPV vaccine, etc. that were all stored in that cold room were burnt.”
He noted that the cause of the fire remains unknown, adding that the facility had been without public power supply for about five days, while the alternative solar system was also faulty, prompting efforts to restore electricity a day before the incident.
Ekuma disclosed that a committee has been set up to investigate the cause of the fire and prevent future occurrences, while also directing that new offices be allocated to staff of the Immunisation Unit.
He stressed that the incident has significantly disrupted immunisation operations and caused serious damage to that section of the building, adding that experts would determine the full extent of the destruction.
The Officer in Charge of Operations at the Ebonyi State Fire Service, Mr. Frank Oka Ota, said he received a distress call around 5:18 am and quickly deployed his team.
He explained that efforts were made to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading further, noting that it had already intensified before their arrival.
Ota also appreciated the state government for providing new fire service trucks, which aided their quick response, while calling for more personnel to enhance operations.