By Adadareporters
One Engr Chigozie Ugwu, a fire fighting officer working for the Enugu State Fire Service, died Wednesday while fighting a fire outbreak at the motor spare parts market at Coal Camp, Enugu.
It gathered that the fire destroyed shops, vehicle accessories and other categories of goods worth millions of naira.
The inferno killed one Engr Chigozie Ugwu, a firefighter, the state Chief Fire Officer, Engr Okwudiri Ohaa, said.
He died while trying to extinguish the surging fire, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning, a source said. The cause of the incident is yet unknown.
The president of the market association, Mr Mike Nomeh, told reporters that the fire was said to have started from a restaurant located somewhere within the market.
According to him, “The security personnel in the market noticed a shop that was burning in the night but they couldn’t open the shop due to heavy protector used to lock the shop.
“So in the process, the fire got to a nearby restaurant where gas is used in cooking and that was what exploded and went out of control and spread through other shops.
“And by the time the fire fighters arrived, a lot of devastation had been.”
The chief fire 9fficer of the state, Engr Okwudili Ohaa, said that the late fire officer, Mr Chigozie Ugwu, was dedicated to duty and was ever ready to respond to emergency calls.
He said, “Chigozie Ugwu is one officer who many time doesn’t bother about his rank. Rather than sending his juniors to respond to emergencies, he would prefer to be there himself. It was very unfortunate that he died after putting off the raging fire
“We miss him and may his soul rest in peace.”
