BY OLUWAFEMI OLADIPO
An early Sunday morning fire has engulfed one of the many transformers inside the premise of the Transmission Company of Nigeria along Sapele road in Benin City, Edo State of Nigeria.
According to residents close to the office of the Company a loud explosion was heard at about 7.24 am followed by the fire with black plumes of smoke that could be noticed afar.
It was not until several hours later that the first fire servicemen arrived to combat the inferno.
But then it took additional six more fire vehicles, some from Oghara in nearby Delta State and others from Air force and Army Barracks in Benin City to bring the inferno under control .
The fire service vehicles of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company in Benin City were also not left out in this emergency rescue operation.
It was not until around 2 o’clock in the afternoon that the combined efforts of firemen from the various organizations already mentioned were able to bring the fire under control.
Effort to speak with Mr. Rufus Imafidon, the Public Relations Officer of the Benin City Office of Transmission Company of Nigeria was not successful as he was elusive.
