An investigative panel has been set up to investigate the probable cause of the fire incident at the headquarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN.
Briefing newsmen in Lagos on the incident, the Managing Director, FAAN, Mr. Saleh Dunoma who described the incident as unfortunate said the reason for the panel is to help in preventing future occurrence.
Dunoma said panel which constitute security agencies and aviation agencies have two weeks to complete their work and submit to the appropriate authority.
The panel includes the Nigerian police, department of state security service, civil aviation authority, FAAN fire and safety departments.
Others are Accident investigation Bureau, AIB, aviation security and the legal department of FAAN is to serve as secretary and member.
The investigation is to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the incident, extent of damage, contributions by agencies during the incident and provide solutions as well as recommendations to prevent a recurrence in the future.
” the panel is expected to look critical at the incident and proffer solutions to prevent future occurrence, this what accident investigations in the aviation sector are meant for, it is unfortunate and we are sadden”.
Dunoma said the agency is not shut down due to the incident as space would be provided for those whose offices were touched by the fire.
” We are all dejected about this fire incident , as you can see the workers are not happy .
But, FAAN is not shutting down , we have set up a panel and we will allow them do their work. This is the reason we cordoned off the affected sections of the building”.
He added that FAAN is in the process of having a befitting headquarters and plans are underway to achieve this.
During the visit to the fire scene, Airport police commissioner, Mr. Besan Gwana said a parallel investigation would also been carried out by the police to also ascertain the cause of the incident.
He said the areas affected by the fire had been condoned off to prevent anyone tampering with evidences that could help in unravelling the cause of the fire.
” we will appeal to FAAN to double its security, you know they have their own security, we have condoned off the area and we are going to start our own investigation apart from what FAAN is doing”.
The fire incident which started at about 8.30 am completely destroyed the commercial, corporate communications, Audit and engineering departments and the reception hall.
Staff of the agency and visitors who were in the building at that time escaped unhurt as they Scampered for safety when smoke started bellowing out from the building.
Lost in the fire were certificates of some staff of the agency were burnt as there was an ongoing staff verification exercise which started this week.
It took the combined team of the Lagos state fire service to put out the fire.
National Vice chairman, arewa youth development association of nigeria, Alhaji Ado Dansudu urged the government to do a thorough investigation.
” it is not fair for government property to be destroyed, we want FAAN to do a good job in this investigation, someone must be held responsible, this is negligence”.
