Properties worth
millions of Naira were lost to a late afternoon inferno that razed Gee
Pee Plastic Industries in Asaba, Delta State on Sunday. The fire which
started at about 3.30pm lasted several hours, destroying eight giant
plastic colder, moulder machines, finished plastic products, over head
water tanks and other raw materials worth millions of naira. The
inferno did not spare offices within the factory. As at the time of
filing this report, no loss of lives was reported.
The combined
effort of men of the fire service from Delta and Anambra States failed.
Even the heavy downpour was not sufficient to put out the raging fire,
which was complicated by the inability of the officers to get access to
the scene in time.
Inflammable materials
One of the fire
fighters told newsmen that the inflammable materials, rubbers, and
other plastics within the premises made the fire spread fast.
Actual cause of
the fire was not immediately known, but some suspected that the inferno
might have resulted from sparks from operations of some welders who
were working on some machines in the factory.
A resident who
gave his name simply as Lucky, said: “We actually noticed some fire and
we raised an alarm and we alerted people who can assist through
telephone calls. The problem was the election holiday which made the
people who would have rescued the situation to be unavailable.” As at
the time of going to press, authorities of the Delta State Fire Service
Department could not be reached for comment as their office was under
lock and key, neither was the actual cost of properties lost to the
fire known, as none of the members of the management of Gee Pee was
available for comment.
