Panic In UNN As Hostel Is Gutted By Fire

A female hostel at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, named Okeke hostel was on Wednesday reportedly razed by fire following an alleged spark from a wire when the school generating set supplied power to the hostel.

According to eye witness accounts, the said inferno is considered the worst fire incident in the university as neither the Dean of Student Affairs, the Director of Works Department nor the Chairman of Servicom who came around, were able to save the situation.

A student, who allegedly spoke on anonymity, said the most painful part was that men of the fire service who came around were incapacitated as they had no water and not even the Director of Works could do anything to curb the fire.

The student allegedly noted that lack of water in both the hostel and the neighbouring ones made students who came to rescue the situation handicapped. However, men of the fire service reportedly returned after the entire 300 series which was a total of 34 rooms had been burnt down.

It was further alleged that 136 or more students were rendered ‘homeless and useless’ as all their documents, property had all gone up in ashes.

A certain unnamed student, who is a member of the SUG House of Representatives, was said to have written so many times about the electric connections to the appropriate quarters without any response. There is no functional fire service in the whole University town of Nsukka, the unidentified student further alleged.

As the story goes, three female hostels in UNN, Okpara hostel, Aja-Nwachukwu hostel and now Okeke hostel, had reportedly been gutted by fire within one year.