Two Children Killed, 400 Loses Home In IDP Camp Fire Accident

Two children have died in a fire disaster that broke out in an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Jere local government of Borno state.

The ill-fated camp, located in an area called Khurso Bashir, is only few kilometers to Maiduguri and is one of the unofficial settlements for displaced persons in the host community.

Witnesses say the fire, which reportedly started on Friday afternoon, spread fast as a result of the dried stalks used in erecting the tents.

At least 400 families reportedly lost their homes to the fire before men of the State Fire Service arrived the scene to prevent further spread.

Sources at the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said some of the IDPs are from Marte and Mafa areas of the state, while others are migrants from smaller villages and the state capital.

Survivors of the misfortune have blamed the incident on one of their fellow IDPs who was said to have been roasting groundnuts when the fierce wind blew embers from the fire she lit to the thatched shelters.

Unfortunately, the deceased children, caught up in the fire could not be rescued until they died.

Read More

11 new born babies died in Baghdad hospital fire blast

A fire tore through the maternity ward of a Baghdad hospital this morning, killing 11 newborns and injuring at least 25 people, according to health officials in Iraq.

Dr. Ahmed al-Rudaini, a spokesman for the Iraqi Ministry of Health, said the 11 infants who died were being treated at a ward for premature babies at Yarmouk Hospital, in western Baghdad.

More than 25 people, babies and women, suffered burns or smoke inhalation and were evacuated to other hospitals. Several of the mothers were awaiting cesarean sections.

Officials said the episode, which happened shortly after midnight, began when an oxygen bottle exploded in a corridor, setting off an electrical fire and creating scenes of panic.

The hospital is supported by the government, and patients pay little or nothing, even for major surgeries.

Read More

Sumai foods loses N1bn to fire

A raging fire has destroyed property worth more than N1bn at a company located in Oluyole Estate area of Ibadan, on Monday.

The fire, which began on Sunday night, was still burning despite the presence of fire fighters on Monday evening.

The company, which produces paper cartons used in packaging finished products, is said to be a subsidiary of SUMAL Foods and Confectionaries, also located in Oluyole Industrial Estate in Ibadan.

The affected company is located inside the vast premises of Sanusi Steel Industry, which, until it folded up, was producing steel and wire.

Offices, machines, warehouses, buildings, computers and raw materials had been destroyed already by the fire, with walls of most of the buildings showing cracks. The city of Ibadan has also been covered in ashes emanating from the fire.

As of Monday evening, smoke had rented the air as far as the University of Ibadan and Ojoo area on Oyo road.

A security guard, Edward Bassey, who works in one of the companies in the area, said the fire began around 10pm on Sunday.

The Director of Oyo State Fire Services, Kareem Oyekunle, however, said effort was still on to stop the spread of the inferno. He said 40 of his men were already working at the scene.

Read More

Photos: One critically injured as fire engulfs a female hostel at Cross River State College of Education

A student has been hospitalized following a fire outbreak at the Cross River State College of Education, COE Akamkpa female hostel today, May 27.

According to CrossRiverWatch, the fire started at about 11am in the change-over switch at the hostel entrance and caused extensive damage to the building and property of the residents with no immediate help or means of putting off the inferno.

"The fire extinguishers at the hostel were empty at the time of the fire incident. It was after this event that the College Management bought new ones just today" CRW reports.

The Deputy Provost, Dean of Students Affairs, Hostel Supervisors and some lecturers rushed to the scene of the incident after the fire outbreak. Fortunately, most of the students had gone for lectures or there would have been serious fatalities.

One of the female students who was sleeping in the hostel while the fire was raging fainted as a result of smoke and was rushed her to the hospital.

The Hostel Porter while speaking to CrossRiverWatch said,

"The incidents is as a result of electricity upsurge. Yesterday the engineer tried to pump the uncharged water tap, but could not pump water, so he left without informing the management that there is electricity fault, so the next morning when the generator was powered, it resulted to this incident that has now inconvenienced all the dwellers in the female hostel B’"

More photos...

Read More