FFS CG Visits Tanker Gas Explosion Victims

The Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, Jaji Abdulganiyu, has visited some of the victims of Wednesday’s tanker gas explosion receiving medical attention at Cedacrest Hospital, Apo, Abuja to empathize with them over the incident .

While expressing his deepest condolences to the victims and their families, the CG called for strict enforcement of ban on movement of articulated vehicles at unapproved hours, particularly during early hours of the morning when workers are resuming to work and early evenings at the peak of retiring from work to home.

The Fire Service boss, who was on the visit with his management team, called on all other security agencies to ensure strict enforcement on road usage.

He said: “What is important is enforcement. All the security agencies, especially the Road Safety, the Fire Service and the Police among others should come together to ensure strict adherence to road safety rules and regulations.

Abdulganiyu who confirmed that his team during the on-the-spot assessment of the accident scene at Karu, prevented the occurrence of another disaster at the same spot, called for caution among road users.

He attributed some of these accidents to recklessness among tanker drivers, saying strict enforcement is needed to tame the excesses of articulated vehicles on the highways.

He said: “If truck drivers have been mandated not to move at a particular period, security agencies that are concerned must be there to make sure that they don’t move, otherwise, this kind of calamity will continue to happen.

“Fire Service can not be everywhere. If we are in our office we might not know what will happen in the next hour and if nobody calls us on time we might not be able to help. That’s why some people will say Fire Service doesn’t respond quickly, they forget that we are not magicians. It is when we get information that we will respond.”

“It is our own responsibility to ensure that Fire does not break at all. Prevention of fire is more cheaper than mitigation of disaster.”

Also speaking with newsmen at the hospital, a consultant Anaesthetist, Dr. Kate Edionhon, confirmed that two of the patients in their facility were stable while one is in critical condition.

A sister to one of the victims, Adedoye Temitope, told journalists that her sister, Inspector Rachael Chukwuemeka was receiving medical attention at the facility.

While praying to God for speedy healing of her sister, the CG commended the management of the hospital for their kindness in receiving her, noting that they had taken her to about three hospitals before the Cedacrest Hospital accepted her.

Nkiru Njemanze, Edited By Blessing Nyor