A fire outbreak on Wednesday disrupted activities at the Senate wing of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, forcing lawmakers, staff, and visitors to evacuate a hearing room before the situation was brought under control.
The incident occurred at Senate Hearing Room 107 shortly after the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) concluded the screening of Dr. Zainab Marwa for appointment as a member of the commission's board representing the North-East.
According to eyewitness accounts, smoke suddenly emerged from an adjoining kitchen area, causing panic as those present hurriedly exited the venue. Efforts to contain the fire were reportedly challenged by inadequate firefighting equipment and limited water supply.
However, the situation was eventually brought under control through the intervention of members of the committee, including its chairman, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, alongside Senator Salihu Mustapha and parliamentary staff, preventing the fire from spreading to other sections of the building.
The kitchen area attached to the hearing room reportedly sustained damage, while no casualties were recorded.
As of the time of filing this report, the Senate had not issued an official statement on the cause of the fire or the extent of the damage.
Source: Daily Trust