Property Worth Millions Of Destroyed As Fire Engulfs Famous St. John’s College Alor
Michael Ezenwata
Properties worth over one hundred million nalra were lost on Monday morning when fire broke out from one of the main blocks of the World Bank Assisted hostel at St. John’s Science and Technical College, Alor, Idemili South LGA.
It was gathered that the fire broke out following attempts to start the school’s generator which failed.
The Principal/Manager of the College, Reverend Father Dr. Francis Unegbu, who spoke to the press on the incident, said the fire started between 9 and 9.30 am on Monday morning when the students were having their breakfast.
According to the principal, there was no human casualty, but properties worth between 80 and 100 million naira were lost to the inferno.
Father Unegbu reported that hostels A, B and C of the World Bank Assisted uncompleted project housing over 400 students were affected.
The cleric further reported that the school authority mobilized its students to quench the fire after its futile attempts to get some state fire fighting zones to come to their aid.
He acknowledged the efforts of the Archbishop of the Onitsha Archdiocese, Most Reverend Dr. Valerian Okeke, who had assisted in building the hostel with over fifty million naira aid.
He expressed hope that he will come to the institution’s aid as he has been briefed on the latest development.
The School Manager also appealed to Anambra state government to come to their aid in completing the project as well as assisting combating the gully erosion challenging the institution.
In his reaction, the National President of the Old Boys Association of St. John’s Science and Technical College, Alor, Dr. Cyprian Afunugo, reported that he swung into action as soon as one of the old boys of the college and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Emeka Ngige called him from Lagos.
Dr. Afunugo reported his fruitless efforts to get the state fire service at Awka and Nnewi fire stations to come to the rescue of the college, and how the students of the college wrestled the fire to a halt.
The National President urged the state government to ensure that, at least, two functional fire fighting vehicles are stationed at Nnewi and other and other urban cities like Onitsha, Ekwulobia, Ihiala, etc.
He expects that the fire responsiveness of government should be very prompt at the touch of a dial of fire outbreak emergency number (MOI)
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