Nigeria’s former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed sympathy over a fire accident in which at least two persons were feared dead at the Embassy of Canada in Abuja on Monday.
Atiku, Presidential Candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), expressed his condolences in a series of tweets.
According to the eyewitnesses, the fire broke out while the embassy’s power generating plant was being repaired engulfing and killing three persons, part of the technical crew, while one person escaped through the roof of the power house.
The source said that others were blown out of the powerhouse due to the force of the sudden fire explosion.
Staff who ran out of the embassy for refuge outside the gates told The Guardian that the fire broke out around 11:30 PM as fire fighting trucks moved in to put out the flames while rescue operations were ongoing.
Our correspondent observed that staffers of the embassy were being moved to safety under trees and other safe spaces in the embassy enclosure as an ambulance drove in to evacuate those affected.
Atiku, sending his condolences, via his Twitter X handle on Monday, said:
“I offer my condolences to the Government of Canada over the fire incident at its High Commission in Nigeria today and the resultant loss of lives and injuries sustained.
“I pray that the dead find rest and that the injured recover speedily. –AA”