Gwagwalada, Abuja — A devastating fire broke out at the AA Rano petrol station in Gwagwalada yesterday, leaving destruction in its wake and raising serious concerns about the efficiency of the Federal Fire Service.
The inferno, which engulfed significant portions of the station, causing panic among residents and business owners in the vicinity. Eyewitnesses said the fire began in a storage section before spreading rapidly, fueled by highly flammable materials on-site.
The Federal Fire Service arrived promptly but struggled for over 30 minutes to extinguish the flames. Despite deploying personnel and equipment, their efforts were largely unsuccessful in bringing the situation under control in a timely manner. This drew sharp criticism from bystanders, who expressed frustration over what they described as inefficiency and lack of preparedness.
“The fire service came quickly, but they didn’t have the capacity to manage the situation. It’s disappointing to see them struggle for so long without much progress,” said a visibly upset resident, who chose to remain anonymous.
This incident has reignited public discourse on the state of emergency response services in the country, particularly in rapidly growing areas like Gwagwalada. Many are calling on the government to provide better training, modern equipment, and sufficient funding for the Federal Fire Service to prevent future disasters.
Officials from the fire department have yet to release an official statement on the challenges faced during the response, but sources within the agency have hinted at equipment failure as a contributing factor.
Residents are now urging authorities to address the systemic gaps in emergency response services to avoid a recurrence of such an incident.