The lead pastor of the N3billion House on the Rock church, Abuja branch which went up in flames on Sunday, Rev. Kennedy Asigime, has disclosed that the Nigerian fire-fighters came with “the same ladder used by Electric Distribution Companies,” and with no water.
Speaking about the shameful display which was put up by the Nigerian fire service as the church went up in flames, Rev. Kennedy Asigime told newsmen that there were no casualties recorded as members of the church had already gone home at the time the fire started.
He added that “the most unfortunate thing is the fact that we have a fire service that is not properly equipped to help in such situations.”
Speaking on the painful fire incident, he said: “We have no idea what caused the fire, whether it is an electrical fault or not, nobody knows for now.
“This whole building cost about N3 billion and a very substantial part of the building has been totally destroyed. “We cannot be sure of what is left standing now, we need to do an integrity test to know if the whole building is going to be knocked down.”
Asigime however commended the Nigerian Fire Service for their timely response to the distress call made by the church adding that they came with the substance to deal with the situation which “is below zero.”
He added that the Fire fighters appeared to have responded early but came ill equipped to fight the fire as they lacked the required liquid and came with “the same ladder used by Electric Distribution Companies.”
He continued: “They were just here because they want to put it on record that they responded to the call; but they got here and said they did not have water.
“Until trucks from the private sector started coming, trucks from Julius Berger and NNPC, may God help us in this country.”