By Grace Udofia
The Federal Government of Nigeria has disclosed that no life was lost in the fire incident that occurred at the Federal Ministry of Education wing in the Federal Secretariat.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Ben Goong.
According to Goong, two of their staff were affected in the incident and are currently hospitalized at the Maitama General Hospital in Abuja, adding that they are in stable condition and are responding to treatment.
The statement reads, “Six Directors of the Ministry who visited the victims at the Maitama General Hospital confirmed that the victim were not only coordinating well but were also articulate in their speeches.
“On the cause of the fire incident, preliminary investigation indicates that the fire incident may have been caused by a power surge, resulting to a spark from an air condition, which ignited the fire.
“However, a Committee has been constituted with a view to investigate and determine the actual cause of the fire and to recommend measures to be taken to prevent similar incidents in future”.
On reports that two fire incidents occurred almost simultaneously at the Federal Secretariat, fuelling speculations of sabotage, Goong said, “the first incident occurred from an electrical malfunction of a car at the car park at the Federal Secretariat phase 1, adding that there is no Iink between the two incidents.
“Without prejudice to the work of the Committee, I would like to dispel speculations that there is an element of sabotage in the two incidents”.
