The new 40-bed modern hospital of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Omoku, Rivers State was on Friday 15thFebruary, 2019 afternoon gutted by fire.
Though no life was lost, but properties worth millions of naira had already been destroyed by the inferno before the incident was noticed by passerby. The Hospital is located in the permanent site (Campus II) of the College.
The cause of the mystery-fire was not ascertained as at the time of filing this report, but it took the intervention of the Nigeria Agip Oil Company Limited, OB/OB fire fighters and other sympathizer’s hours to put the inferno under control, but before then, the building has been badly destroyed.
It was gathered that the fire which occurred when workers have all traveled for the Presidential and National Assembly elections earlier scheduled for Saturday 16th February 2019, was said to have started from the right-wing side of the hospital before it spread to other parts.
Speaking at the site of the inferno, the Provost of the College Dr Emmanuel Ikenyiri, who was visibly angry and shocked, described the incident as sad, unfortunate and a monumental loss to the institution, but thanked Almighty God that no life was lost.
The Provost commended the Nigeria Agip Oil Company Limited fire service for their swift intervention on hearing distress calls about the incident, as according to him, if not for their gallant efforts, the fire would have touched other buildings.
He therefore appealed to the Federal and Rivers State Governments, TETFUND, the NNPC, SPDC, NAOC Ltd, NDDC, Total Petroleum and other corporate organizations and individuals to come to the aid of the institution by rebuilding the destroyed hospital.
The Provost and Management thanked all those who sympathized with the institution for the fire outbreak.
