The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency FEMA has explained the events that led to the unfortunate loss of two Nigerian lives at the Canadian Embassy in Abuja on Monday.
The spokesman of the agency, Nkechi Isa in a terse statement said that a diesel tank explosion caused the fire that damaged a part of the diplomatic building.
Isa said that the diesel tank exploded around 10:45 a.m. in the High Commission’s generator house as a five-person team from the JMD company was servicing two MIKANO generators.
She explained that one generator was in operation, and the other was being serviced when a 2,000-liter diesel tank in the generator house exploded.
She said: “One of the generators was said to be working, while the other one was being serviced when a tank containing 2,000 liters 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.”
Isa said that the FCT Fire Service successfully managed to control the fire around 12:30 p.m. While ambulances from the Ministry of Defence, Federal Fire Service, and FEMA are on standby.
Reacting to the development, Mr. Mohammed Sabo, the acting Director-General of FEMA, urged the public to exercise caution when handling petroleum products, particularly as the dry season sets in.
Sabo appealed to residents, encouraging them to make use of the emergency toll-free number 112 in any disaster or situation.
Kanyi Daily recalls that President Bola Tinubu directed the withdrawal of the nomination of 24-year-old Imam Kashim Imam who was recently appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA).