The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency FEMA has finally opened up on the circumstances which led to the death of two Nigerians on Monday after at the Canadian Embassy in Abuja.
In a terse statement, Nkechi Isa who is the spokesman of the agency, confirmed that a diesel tank explosion was responsible for the fire which gutted a section of the diplomatic building.
Isa explained that the diesel tank exploded around 10:45am in the generator house of the High Commission, just as two MIKANO generators were being serviced by a five-man team from JMD company.
She said: ‘One of the generators was said to be working, while the other one was being serviced when a tank containing 2,000 litres of diesel in the generator house exploded.’
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She added that; ‘Two of the personnel servicing the generator died from the explosion while two others survived with severe burns and were taken to the Trauma Centre at the National Hospital, Abuja.’
Africa Today News, New York recalls that in a statement issued Monday afternoon, Global Affairs Canada had confirmed that one of the two people killed was a “locally engaged employee.”
“Global Affairs Canada extends its sympathies to the families of those killed and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured,” the statement said. “We can confirm all other staff at the High Commission are safe and unharmed.”
Global Affairs also confirmed that it’s working with local authorities to determine the cause of the explosion and the High Commission will be closed until further notice.
‘An investigation will be carried out, but at this point everything points to an accident rather than a deliberate act, the department said.