By Okechukwu Onuegbu
At least one person reportedly died, Sunday, with several properties damaged as fire gutted Bishop Crowther Memorial Seminary School, Awka, the Anambra State capital.
Blueprint learnt that the incident which occurred around 11.30pm for no known reason razed the school’s hostel, including mattresses and students’ belongings.
The Director, Anambra State Fire Service, Mr Chukwudi Chiketa, who confirmed the report in a statement, disclosed that firefighters and a fire truck were deployed immediately to the scene of the incident and the fire was contained.
Chiketa, who explained that he had visited the school on Sunday for inspection, where the principal narrated how the fire affected a part of the school’s hostel, noted that cause of the fire was still unknown, while the dead students had been taken to a mortuary.
“The Anambra State Fire Service Chief arrived at Bishop Crowther Memorial Seminary School, Awka at 10:55 a.m. on Sunday, for a firsthand inspection and assessment of the level of damages caused by the fire outbreak that occurred on Saturday night in the school.
“Recall that Anambra State Fire Service received a distress call at 11:30 pm, on Saturday, May 18, 2024, which reported a fire outbreak in one of the school’s hostels. Our firefighters and one of the fire trucks were deployed immediately to the scene of the incident, and the fire was contained.
“The school Principal, Ven. Dr Emendu, who received the fire chief, narrated how the fire affected a part of the school’s hostel, damaged everything, including mattresses and other students’ belongings therein, and left one dead. According to the principal, there was no other casualty, and no injury was recorded," he stated.