Property worth millions of Naira were destroyed as the building housing the laboratory at the Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Jos was razed by an inferno.
The fire engulfed the building at a time only a few staff on night duty were around but luckily, no life was lost.
NigeriaCrime.com gathered that the fire was noticed at about 2 a.m. on Tuesday and could not be controlled as frightened patients scamper for safety. Several medical apparatus, office appliances, and equipment valued at millions of naira were destroyed.
Confirming the development, the hospital’s Public Relations Officer, Talatu Angi said, “We came this morning and saw the place has been burnt but luckily it was just the lab and the fire did not spread to other sections. No life was lost, the fire was huge and was beyond what fire extinguishers could handle.
“The Fire Service was called and they came but their water got finished so they went back to bring water. The inferno happened at night, and only the people on night duty were there. The fire started in one room, no one knew that it had spread to another room since it was night people did not see the smoke in time to raise an alarm.”
She did not put a price on the property lost but stated, the situation would be assessed.
However, the Zonal Fire Service Commander, Jos, Jephtha Mwalfwang gave reasons why the fire escalated.
His words, “There was a fire outbreak around 2 am at the main lab of the hospital, our men responded as we were called but there was no access to enter the room so the men resorted to breaking the glasses on the windows to fight the fire through the windows so it took them time before they could control the fire.
“Again, they went on three trips to get water before they could control the fire. Lack of direct access to the fire and going on different trips to get water escalated the situation. We have only one fire truck at the station so there is no backup truck to give support, so we had to go and come back.”
Meanwhile, the cause of the fire was not disclosed as it was gathered that investigations have commenced.