Fire guts section of senate hearing room after NDDC board screening
A fire broke out in the senate wing of the national assembly complex in Abuja on Wednesday, causing panic before it was brought under control.
The incident occurred in Hearing Room 107, shortly after the senate committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) concluded the screening of Zainab Marwa for appointment as the north-east representative on the commission’s governing board.
On June 4, President Bola Tinubu asked the senate to confirm Marwa’s appointment.
Eyewitnesses said smoke suddenly billowed from the kitchen compartment attached to the hearing room, triggering confusion among lawmakers, staff, and visitors.
Some senators, staffers, and guests were forced to leave the area as efforts to contain the fire commenced.
Sources within the national assembly said the blaze was traced to a microwave oven allegedly left on in the kitchen.
In a video circulating online, some officials were heard attributing the incident to a spark from the appliance, while others attempted to put out the fire.
Onlookers said efforts to contain the blaze were initially hampered by inadequate water supply.
“The water is not enough,” some voices were heard screaming in the video.
Concerns were also raised about the apparent absence of functional fire extinguishers near the hearing room as staff and security personnel worked to prevent a spread of the blaze.
Asuquo Ekpenyong, chairman of the senate committee on NDDC, and Salihu Mustapha, senator representing Kwara central, reportedly led efforts to contain the fire.
Their intervention, supported by parliamentary staff and other officials, helped extinguish the blaze before it spread to adjoining sections of the building.
A witness was later heard pointing to one of the affected appliances and saying: “It was from this gas.”
The kitchen compartment, which houses appliances and furniture used for committee activities, was visibly affected by the incident.
No casualty was reported.
Source: The Cable
