By STANLEY NWANOSIKE

An eight-year-old girl has lost her life while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed in a building fire at Ugwuaji community in Enugu South Local Government Area in Enugu State.

The Enugu State Chief Fire and Rescue Officer, Chief Okwudili Ohaa, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Thursday.

Ohaa said that state fire service responded promptly after receiving the alert about the inferno which started at about 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday night within Umunnaugwu Quarters of the community.

He said that fire service men rescued the rest of the 10 rooms in the bungalow of about 14 rooms, adding that the inferno totally burnt down three of the rooms.

“The timely intervention of our fire team and engines helped to rescue the remaining rooms in that bungalow.

“However, before we could get to the scene, unfortunately, the fire had engulfed one of the rooms a little girl was sleeping in.

“So sad, we sympathise with family members of the deceased and pray to God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss,” he said.

Speaking, Mr Lazarus Anya-Anike, grandfather of the deceased and landlord of the building, said that the fire was caused by candle light used for reading by one of his grandchildren preparing for secondary school common entrance examination.

“My grand-daughter, Ifunanya (8), who lost her life in the incident, was inside the room sleeping while other children fled when the fire started and they shouted for help as it was beyond their control.

“The fire was put out by the intervention of fire service men who arrived at the scene.

“The fire service men’s intervention helped to stop the fire razing the entire building,” Anya-Anike said.

He appealed to the state government and public-spirited individuals to come to his family’s aid as the fire destroyed all his family belongings. (NAN)

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