The World Health Organisation (WHO) vaccination storage facility at the Ayegbaju Market in Osogbo, Osun State, was on Saturday razed by fire, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

According to a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps official, Ajinase Alade, attached to the facility, the fire started from a generator close to the WHO storage facility.

“The fire started at about 12:13p.m from one of the generators that powers the building where vaccines were stored.

“We quickly moved to remove the cars parked close to the fire and mobilised to put out the fire.

“But unfortunately, my motorcycle parked close to the storage facility was consumed by the fire while helping to remove the cars,” he said.

The Osun WHO Immunisation Officer and State Cold Vaccine Coordinator, Mrs. Adeosun Adebola, told NAN that the cold vaccine storage office was not affected by the fire, but the dry vaccine outlet was razed by fire.

She said a 60KVA generator, one 12KVA generator and two 18 KVA generators were also affected.

Adebola also said two photocopier machines and two motorcycles were also destroyed by the fire.

“I61,795 pieces of 0.05ml needles and syringe , 633,871 pieces of 0.5ml needles and syringe, 10,575 pieces of 5ml needles and syringe, 3,976 pieces of 2ml needles and syringe were destroyed by the fire.

“8,654 pieces of immunisation safety boxes were also destroyed by the fire,” she said.

Adebola told NAN that state government and WHO officials had been to the incident site to assess the level of damage

A maintenance official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they applied self-effort to put out the fire from affecting and spreading to other buildings and stores within the market.

He said the state fire service were contacted when the fire started but they had to quickly fetch water from the surface water tanks around, while people also helped to put out the fire before the fire service came.

“But unfortunately, the storage facility was completely razed,” she said.

Men of the state fire service could, however, be seen going through the remains of the fire to ensure the fire was completely put out. (NAN)

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