Tragic Abuja estate fire kills five-year-old girl
A tragic fire at the EFAB Metropolis Estate in the Karasana area of the Federal Capital Territory claimed the life of a five-year-old girl in the early hours of Thursday.
The inferno, which occurred around 1 a.m. at No. 16 Ottawa Street, left the estate community in shock and mourning.
According to eyewitness accounts, the fire was caused by an electrical spark in one of the children’s room sockets.
One of the estate residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, recounted that the family members were downstairs when the fire began in the children’s room upstairs
The resident said, “The fire broke out while we were asleep. A five-year-old girl, who was upstairs in her room, tragically lost her life. The family was downstairs at the time. As big as this estate is, there is no fire station. The developer built over 1,000 houses here but didn’t provide such a critical facility.”
Another resident criticised the absence of firefighting infrastructure within the estate.
The resident believed that the absence of the equipment in the estate compounded the incident.
“Although the fire service personnel arrived promptly, they had to navigate through Kubwa before accessing the estate. If we had a fire station here, the damage could have been minimised. Originally, locations were designated for a hospital, recreation centre, and fire station, but these were sold off. A fire station is an urgent necessity to prevent future tragedies.”
The Chairman of the House Owners’ Association, Afeez Olopade, expressed grief over the incident and pledged support to the bereaved family.
Olopade admitted that the estate ought to have its firefighting equipment and infrastructure, adding that the executive members of the estate would engage the developer, Dr. Fabian Nwaorah, on the need to have the facilities.
He said, “This terrifying incident is something we wish we could undo. We are working closely with the affected family to provide support. Regarding the lack of firefighting infrastructure, residents have made repeated calls for a functional fire station within the estate.
“Our estate spans over 200 hectares, making such facilities indispensable. Infrastructure development and maintenance are still under the estate developer, Blue Fountain Properties Limited, chaired by Dr. Fabian Nwaorah. We will continue engaging with the developer, government agencies, and stakeholders to ensure these facilities are provided promptly.”
The acting director of the FCT Fire Service, Aminola Adebayo, confirmed the incident, stating that the fire resulted from an electrical spark in the children’s room.
“The building was a storey terrace house, and the fire consumed furniture, kitchen equipment, mattresses, and other items. Sadly, a six-year-old girl lost her life. The fire was brought under control through the combined efforts of the FCT Fire Service and the Federal Fire Service,” Adebayo said.
