Fire guts Pacesetter FM, Umuahia

(Nigeria) Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has expressed sympathy to the management and staff of Pacesetter 103.5 FM station over the fire incident that gutted the station.

Mr Godwin Adindu, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, who was at the station to inspect the damage, governor, said that the state government would assist in rebuilding the complex.

The fire gutted the Studio, Newsroom, Programmes, Accounts and Administration Departments of the radio station located at Amakama, near Umuahia, on Sunday evening.

However, no life was lost and the transmitter was also not affected.

It was gathered that the Duty Announcer, Mrs Peace Ezeaku, who was the only member of staff on duty at the time of the incident, escaped through the toilet window.

Although the cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained, it was learnt that it started from the studio. Other items destroyed in the fire included computer sets, refrigerators, television sets, radio sets and official documents, among others. It was gathered that fire-fighters ran out of water while battling the fire.

A staff of the station said that only the duty announcer and two security men were present when the fire started because it was a Sunday. Meanwhile, the General Manager of the station, Mr Fidelis Onoh, has expressed shock over the incident.

Mr John Emejor, the Chairman of the Abia Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalist, NUJ, has also expressed the council's sympathy to the management and staff of the station.