By Tola Gbadamosi

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As the dry season creeps in with the onset of harmattan, the bushes around residential structures have lost the moistness of the earlier months and the environment is prone to fire outbreaks.

Many cities are encountering incidents of fire outbreaks which are claiming lives and valuable properties.

It was a horrible moment for the owner and workers of A&A Furniture Centre, located along Oba-Ile road in Akure North Local Government area of Ondo State, as fire burnt the shop, destroying property worth millions of naira in the early hours of the morning last week.

According to eyewitness reports, the inferno ravaged the carpentry shop, leaving several adjoining shops, kiosks, and other structures in ruins. The Hope findings revealed that equipment and furniture valued at millions of naira were lost in the blaze.

Mr. Akeem Ganiyu Idowu, a furniture maker and owner of the furniture shop, while speaking with The Hope said: “When I closed my shop yesterday, I didn’t know this could happen. I didn’t put fire in the shop; I put the fire on the other side. My neighbours called me around 5 a.m., telling me my shop was on fire.

“When I got there, I saw that everything in my shop had been consumed by the fire. I have 10 workers, four generators, four sets of executive chairs, seven sets of 7-seater ordinary chairs, eight wardrobes, four sets of dining chairs, and other materials. In our store, there were many materials like clothes, foam, leather, and plywood.”

The Special Assistant to the Ondo State Governor on Emergency Response, Prince Wellington Crown, who arrived at the scene swiftly with a team from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)  offered the victim words of encouragement.

While speaking with The Hope, said: “We received a call about a fire outbreak here, and we came to the scene to help extinguish the fire. Regarding the cause, the cause is yet unknown. I am here to represent the Governor of Ondo State. I assure the affected victims that the government will attend to their needs.

“We must also advise residents to be more conscious during this period to avoid such incidents. The harmattan season is more prone to fire outbreaks, so we must take extra care.”

He further cautioned the people to switch off electrical gadgets when there is no electricity to avoid fire outbreaks.

The incident has raised concerns about safety during the harmattan season.

In a recent development, the Federal Government unveiled special end-of-year training services on curtailing fire outbreaks This came after a fire outbreak gutted the warehouse belonging to the National Social Investment Programme Agency at Idu, Abuja.

The Director of Information and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Rhoda Ishaku, noted that the fire incident destroyed tools worth billions of naira.

Following this, the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, set up a five-man committee to ascertain the immediate and remote cause of the fire incident.

During the inspection of the incident at the warehouse, the Minister stated that the fire-damaged tools were meant for N-Power training under the National Social Investment Programme Agency, saying measures would be put in place to prevent future occurrences.

“With what has happened, we will put measures in place to ensure that all other items in our warehouses are well protected. We will also commence as soon as possible the training of beneficiaries so that what has been procured so far can be put to use.”

A few days ago, a nine-year-old boy set his father’s three-bedroom flat ablaze in Ilorin, Kwara State, while playing with matches. The incident, which occurred at No. 52 Mandate Housing Estate, Ilorin, nearly razed the entire property. The matches ignited a mattress, which caused the fire to escalate rapidly.

Speaking on the issue of fire outbreaks, an officer of the Federal Fire Service, ASF Femi Ogidan, advised against bush burning around residential buildings and cautioned parents and guardians to ensure matches, lighters, and other flammable materials are kept out of children’s reach and to educate them on the dangers of fire.

Speaking on the Oba-Ile fire incident, he shared: “We received a call from a neighbour about the fire and responded immediately. On arrival, we discovered that the fire was intense, and as we worked, we noticed sparks from NEPA wires. We called for assistance to cut the wires, but we managed to prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring buildings.

“Some suggested that the furniture maker or his boys might not have properly extinguished a fire they set yesterday. Neighbours reportedly warned them, but it seems the fire wasn’t properly put out, which might have led to the spread into the  shop.

He further warned against the use of firecrackers, commonly known as “bangers,” particularly as the festive season draws near.

He recalled an incident in which a young boy ignited a firecracker, out of fear of being scolded after hearing his father’s car approach, tossed it under the bed, thinking it would remain hidden. Moments later, his father walked in, oblivious to what had just happened.

The family, unaware of the smoldering fire, locked the house and went out shopping. By the time they returned, the house had been reduced to ashes.

He described the tragic event as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by firecrackers and emphasized the need for vigilance and safety, especially during festive periods.

In the northeast of Nigeria, the increasing fire outbreak incidents in IDP camp settings continue to exacerbate the already overstretched humanitarian responses, further increasing the vulnerability of the affected population. Between January and June 2024, 97 reported fire outbreaks affected a total of 12,376 households (HHs), representing 59,037 individuals across 32 IDP sites in Borno State, according to reliefweb.com.

32 causalities were reported during these incidents. The fire incident destroyed 11,639 shelters (emergency or self-made/makeshift units), with most of the affected population losing their belongings, food ration,/biometric identification cards, and food and non-food items.

The fire outbreaks exacerbated the humanitarian needs for 53,627 individuals, mainly women and children, being exposed to further undignified living conditions like sleeping in open or crowded spaces, which expose them to protection and health risks.