Eyewitnesses have faulted the late arrival of firefighters to the scene of the fire incident at Next Cash and Carry Shopping Mall, Jahi, Abuja, on Sunday.

The eyewitnesses, while speaking with FIJ, said the firefighters did not arrive at the scene until two hours after receiving an emergency call.

Abdulkareem Idris, an Abuja resident, told FIJ that the fire started as an electric spark around 7:00 am. “Fire extinguishers were used to quench it, but the extinguishers were not effective,” he said.

“When it could not be controlled anymore, they called firefighters, but it took them two hours to arrive at the scene.”

Another source said the firefighters arrived with empty tanks. She said harmattan also contributed to the unbridled fire outbreak. 

In a video obtained by FIJ, a crowd is seen condemning the late arrival of the firefighters as their vehicle arrives at the scene. “After one hour!” They chorus.

When FIJ called the Federal Fire Service’s emergency line, a representative asked our reporter to book an appointment with the PRO to get more information.