A store in the House of Representatives section of the National Assembly complex in Abuja gutted fire, leaving documents destroyed.
The fire erupted at a storeroom in the lower chamber’s section of the complex in Abuja on Thursday.
Passers-by around 6 pm who noticed flames emitting from a store on the second floor of the New Building, House of Reps Wing of the Complex, raised the alarm.
The wing houses the offices of the lawmakers, committee rooms, banks and other private businesses.
The office of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and principal officers are on the fourth floor.
Firefighters from the Federal Fire Service within the premises and other first responders rushed to the scene.
The inferno was later put out by the firefighters and other responders.
In a late-night statement, the Director, National Assembly Information, Agada Rawlings, noted that the situation was immediately brought under control.
He said the flames were suspected to have resulted from an electrical fault which was noticed by one of the staff members working with the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
He said the employee quickly alerted the Federal Fire Service Unit in the complex.
Rawlings explained that the fire was put out with the assistance of staff members on duty who immediately broke into the affected office and used fire extinguishers before the arrival of the fire service officer.
He said; “There was a fire incident this evening (Thursday) in one of the Janitors, located on the 2nd floor, Room 227 in the new-wing, of the House of Representatives, suspected to have resulted from an electrical fault which was noticed by one of the Staff to the Clerk, House of Representatives, who promptly alerted the Federal Fire Service Unit stationed in the National Assembly Complex.
“Management wishes to commend the prompt response/actions by the first responders particularly, National Assembly staff and the Fire Service Unit in helping to curtain the fire outbreak.”