Fire Guts Nekede Poly .

Fire guts Nekede poly

Fire guts Nekede poly    
Written by Chidi Nkwopara   
Monday, 23 February 2009




OWERRI—A building complex housing the Departments of Electrical and Building Maintenance offices at the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri, has been razed down by fire.

 Vanguard investigations revealed that the fire, which consumed the entire complex, also completely destroyed electrical and building materials, equipment, furniture and valuable office documents.

According to the Deputy Registrar (Public Relations), Mr. Onyema Ubaka, “the security personnel on duty spotted the fire at about 2.30am and quickly alerted the Rector, Engr. Onyekwere Nwankwo, about the development”.

Saying that the Rector promptly contacted the Imo State Fire Service,  Ubaka  said that with the combined efforts of Polytechnic security personnel, students and Fire Service officers, the fire was eventually put out.

Although the cause of the fire could not be immediately ascertained, however, a staff of the school’s Works and Services Division who pleaded anonymity blamed the incident on power surge from the public power supply.

“A deafening thunder storm struck a few minutes earlier before the fire was spotted. There must have been a power surge from the public power supply. It badly hit one of the air conditioning units in the building complex, from where the fire started”, the staff said.

When contacted, the Rector said he had already visited the scene of the incident in the company of the management team of the institution to assess the extent of damage.

“All I can say for now is that the loss is extensive and obviously a setback to the school. I will inform the relevant government agencies, especially our supervising organs about the mishap. It is a sad loss indeed”, the Rector said.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/29429/45/