•Lorry catches fire
There was panic at St. Matthias Catholic Church, Agulu, in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, after a fully loaded lorry crashed into the church premises and caught fire.
The incident, which occurred late on Wednesday along the Agulu Lake–Golden Tulip Hotel Road, caused gridlock as motorists slowed down while emergency responders battled to contain the blaze, reports The PUNCH.
An eyewitness, who identified himself simply as Uzor, said the lorry was travelling at high speed when it lost control, veered off the road, and rammed into the church fence, triggering the fire.
“The lorry was on high speed and veered off the sloping road, crashing into the church premises and immediately going up in flames. Fortunately, there was no casualty as nobody was around the area at the time,” he said.
He added that the incident caused panic in the area, while first responders worked to contain the fire before the arrival of firefighters.
The driver of the truck reportedly fled the scene immediately after the crash.
Confirming the incident yesterday, the Media and Publicity Unit of the Anambra State Fire Service, led by Chukwudi Chiketa, attributed the accident to speeding and loss of control.
“A fire incident occurred at St. Matthias Catholic Church, Agulu, following a road crash involving a heavy-duty lorry. Preliminary findings indicate that the vehicle lost control, veered off the road, and crashed into the church premises, igniting a fire outbreak,” he said.
Chiketa added that firefighters responded promptly to the distress call and successfully contained the fire, preventing further damage.
“The fire was brought under control, and operations at the scene have been concluded,” he said.
In a related development, the fire service also confirmed a separate fire incident at Climax Industry Limited, located on Nnanka Street, Oduma Layout, Obosi, in Idemili North Local Government Area.
According to Chiketa, the fire, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, affected both company and residential structures.
He said firefighters from the Ogidi and Okpoko fire stations were deployed to the scene following a distress call received around 1:00 a.m.
“The fire was successfully contained through coordinated efforts, preventing it from spreading to nearby buildings. Firefighters remained at the scene until about 5:30 a.m. to ensure complete extinguishment and prevent a recurrence,” he added.
He noted that the cause of the factory fire was yet to be determined, adding that investigations were ongoing.
Chiketa urged residents and business owners to prioritise fire safety and promptly report any fire outbreaks to the nearest fire station.
