How negligence caused fire outbreak at Ibadan branch of Zenith Bank

Dugbe branch of Zenith Bank in flames

The Dugbe branch of Zenith Bank in Ibadan, Oyo State, was gutted by an early morning fire, which resulted in a logjam as police and fire fighters closed the two roads leading to the bank.

Smoke billowed from the burning building as fire fighters from the Oyo State Fire Service made frantic effort to put off the fire. The incident was confirmed by the Public Relations Officer of the Oyo State Police Command, Olabisi Ilobanafor. She said circumstances leading to the fire were still not known and that no casualty was recorded. However an insider who spoke with SHOWBIZPLUS on the condition of anonymity, blamed the fire on the negligence and carelessness on some of the bank’s workers, whom he alleged deliberately started the fire to conceal some wrong doings.

A staff of the bank who did not give his name because he was not authorised to speak on the matter said the fire started from the bank’s conference room shortly after their routine staff meeting around 8 am.

He said, “We just left the room and suddenly, smoke enveloped everywhere. We were asked to go out while the fire fighters and the police were invited by the management.”

He added that it will be difficult to ascertain the extent of damage but confirmed that bags and other items belonging to staff were trapped in the commotion and could have been affected by the fire.

One of the fire fighters who gave his name as Benjamin said they succeeded in putting out the fire after two hours.

Mr. Godwin Emefiele is the Managing Director of Zenith Bank, one of the biggest financial institutions in Nigeria.