Fire Breaks Out at Federal Secretariat in Awka, Causing Panic

Panic hit the Federal Secretariat Complex in Awka, Anambra State, on Tuesday. A fire damaged part of a building that holds the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria and a nearby store owned by a pharmaceutical company.

The fire reportedly started around 3 PM. It destroyed office equipment, important documents, and files before firefighters managed to control it. The Anambra State Fire Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps helped in putting out the flames.

Reports say the fire began after thick smoke was seen in one section of the building. This made staff at the secretariat rush to safety.

An eyewitness, Anthony Obiorah, who works with the National Orientation Agency, was in his office when a colleague on the second floor raised the alarm. Obiorah said, “A staff member on the second floor suddenly raised the alarm of a fire at about 3 PM. We were helpless and managed to call the men of the Anambra State Fire Service, who responded swiftly.

“Two offices belonging to the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria were gutted by the fire. Equipment, documents, and files were burnt, although some properties were rescued from destruction.

“With the intervention of the firefighters, some shelves and office cabinets were saved from another room close to the one on fire. The walls of the offices were cracked, while portions of the cement walls fell as the fire raged.”

Chukwudi Chiketa, the Fire Chief of the Anambra State Fire Service, led the team to the scene. He said they had not yet determined what caused the fire. Chiketa mentioned they were still working to completely put out the fire and that an investigation would follow.

He advised residents and workers in government offices to keep fire extinguishers nearby. They should also contact the fire service right away if they notice a fire.

Maku Olatunde, the Anambra State Commandant of the NSCDC, also spoke at the scene. He said they got the alert about the fire around 3 PM. Olatunde noted that the quick response from his team, along with the fire service, stopped the fire from spreading to other offices in the complex.

Olatunde said, “Upon receipt of the distress call, the NSCDC Disaster Management Team responded promptly to the scene and, in collaboration with the Anambra State Fire Service, the inferno was swiftly brought under control and prevented from spreading to other offices within the complex.

“Due to this timely intervention, property estimated at over N200 billion was saved from destruction. While the actual cause of the fire is still under investigation, preliminary findings suggest a power surge as the likely cause.

“Normalcy has since been restored at the Federal Secretariat, and investigations are ongoing.”

The commandant added that the operation aligned with the NSCDC’s duty to protect key national, state, and local government properties. He praised the Disaster Management Team and urged all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to carry out regular electrical audits and strictly follow fire safety rules.