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The Chief Fire and Rescue Officer in Enugu State, Chief Okwudili Ohaa, says that the raging gas fire at Caritas University, Amorji-Nike, Emene near Enugu has been put off.
Ohaa told news men in Enugu on Wednesday that the fire was put off through the direct intervention of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
The gas fire, which started on May 25, went off on Tuesday, June 14 at about 4:30 p.m..
He explained that the governor had to order and buy some special fire extinguishing chemicals to ensure that the fire that lasted close to three weeks was put off.
“As a people-oriented governor, who takes pleasure in the safety of his people, Gov Ugwuanyi since he visited the site of the gas fire about three weeks ago felt a high sense of concern.
“After he got briefings from the Enugu State Fire Service and other experts, he opted to order and procure the special fire extinguishing chemicals.
“He procured F-500 Encapsulator Agent; Sodium Bicarbonate; Amon-Ammonia Sulphate and AFFF 6% Protein.
“The chemicals were applied severally and for some days into the depths of the place where the fire was raging and at a time the fire stopped,” he said.
The chief officer also said that the state fire service got some assistance from Well Test Solution Ltd, Port Harcourt to apply the chemicals and get the fire extinguished.
Ohaa, however, said that officers and men as well as fire engines of the state fire service had been on ground since May 23 when the agency received a distress call about the gas leak.
“We are still there as I am speaking to you to attend to any unforeseen development that demands emergency and rescue,” he said.
He, however, lauded all agencies and commissions that had shown commitment to the safety of lives at the incident site.
It would be recalled that about two weeks ago, the Enugu State Fire Service had assured that it had the expertise and man-power to put off the gas fire but was waiting for one or two logistics (the chemicals).
The state government had earlier announced to the residents of the state that there was no cause of alarm, adding that all known safety measures had been taken to avert any disaster from the fire incident scene.
The area affected had long been cordoned off and fire fighters are permanently stationed at the incident scene so as to avert spread of the fire and any form of disaster before now.
The gas fire started as a result of water drilling borehole activities on May 23, which led to a gas leak and later on May 25 went up in flames as a gas flaring scene.
