Abia Governor Alex Otti Visits Nigerian Breweries Facility in Aba After Fire Outbreak, Stresses Emergency Preparedness
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State on Friday made an unscheduled visit to a Nigerian Breweries Plc facility in Aba to assess the damage caused by a fire outbreak the previous day, while calling for heightened safety measures and continuous emergency preparedness across the state.
The fire, which broke out around 3:20 p.m. on Thursday at an open space leased from the Nigerian Railway Corporation, was quickly brought under control by the Abia State Fire Service before 6:00 p.m. Officials confirmed that the blaze affected only empty crates and no bottles, with no casualties recorded.
Governor Otti commended the swift and effective response of the state fire service, describing their intervention as timely in preventing the incident from escalating.
Speaking at the scene, the governor expressed relief that the fire did not cause more severe damage, noting the unusual location of the incident.
“Looking at that place, it’s probably the last place that you’d expect to have a fire incident because it was just on its own, in an open field, so anything could have happened,” Otti said. “It could be a match, it could be a cigarette or anything, but you should be prepared, like the Boy Scouts will say, while we pray it doesn’t happen again.”
He revealed that he had closely monitored the situation but only realised later that the affected facility belonged to Nigerian Breweries, as it is located far from the main brewery plant and digital tracking did not immediately identify the company.
The governor assured investors of his administration’s commitment to providing a conducive business environment in Abia State.
“What the government owes investors is an enabling environment for their business to continue to do well, and that is what the new Abia speaks about,” he added.
The Brewery Manager, represented by Chief Engineer Benjamin Okore, led the governor round the site and clarified that the fire occurred in an open area outside the main brewing plant. He stated that the company’s internal emergency response system was activated immediately upon detection of the fire, before calling in external support, including the Abia State Fire Service.
Okore confirmed that the fire was fully extinguished before 6:00 p.m. through coordinated efforts and noted that the company was still assessing the extent of the damage. He also commended the state fire service for its prompt intervention.
Governor Otti was accompanied on the visit by the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, the mayors of Aba North and Aba South Local Government Areas, and other senior government officials.
Comments
Post a Comment