By Godfrey AKON
The Federal Government has confirmed the hospitalisation of two officials of the Education Ministry, following a blistering fire that ripped through its office apartments last Wednesday.
The statement, signed by the director press at the ministry, Ben Goong, rather confirmed that two staff were affected in the incident and hospitalised at the Maitama General Hospital, Abuja, and are in stable condition and responding to treatment.
He further said, six Directors of the Ministry who visited the wictims at the Maitama General Hospital confirmed that the victims were not only coordinating well but were also articulate.
Commenting on the cause of the fire incident, Goong said, preliminary investigation indicates that the fire incident may have been caused by a power surge, resulting in a spark from an air condition.
He however noted that a committee has been constituted with a view to investigating and determining the actual cause of the fire, to recommend measures to be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
On reports that two fire incidents occurred almost simultaneously at the Federal Secretariat, fueling speculations of sabotage, he said the first incident occurred from an electrical malfunction of a car at the car park at the Federal Secretariat phase 1, adding that there is no Iink between the two incidents.
“Without prejudice to the work of the Committee, I would like to dispel speculations that there is an element of sabotage in the two incidents,” Goong said.
