|
|
|
Douglas House:
A Relic Razed!
Douglas House: Destoryed by fire.
 |
By Eugenia Okpara, Owerri
Tragedy, Thursday, June 7,
2007, struck the Government and people of Imo State as the Government House, popularly known Douglas House, was completely razed by an inferno that raged all afternoon.
Douglas House, a tourist relic, was built by the colonial administration and occupied by the first District Officer, Mr. Douglas, when Owerri was headquarters of the old Owerri Province of the pre-Independence era. It is presently the residence of the State governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, who was away on official assignment when the unfortunate incident happened. However, the Governor was lucky as three of his children who were in the house when the fire started, were rescued; but no personal effect was saved from the raging fire.
Addressing journalists on the incident, Acting Secretary to the Imo State Government (SSG), Chief Chris Okewulonu, said that although it is not possible to state exactly the cause of the fire, the government, nonetheless, suspects sabotage.
He hinged his conclusion on the fact that all the electrical appliances in the section of the house where the fire started, were unplugged from their respective sockets, adding that the issue of power surge was completely ruled out. He pointed out that the governor’s three children who were in the house at the time of the incident may have been the ultimate target of the arsonists.
Answering a question, the SSG also talked about “political desperados” who can go to any length to actualise their political ambition, stressing that incidents such as the fire were possible especially where people are seriously looking for power at all costs.
Okewulonu further revealed that he had discussed with security chiefs in the State and that some people have been picked up for questioning, particularly those in the house when the inferno started, stressing that they have to explain to the security agents all they know about the fire outbreak.
He promised that “government would get to the roots of the matter”, even as he added that the fire fighters did not do enough to salvage the colonial building.
“The truth is that the entire Douglas House has been razed by fire. The efforts of the firemen was simply not enough, compared to the inferno. They were simply overwhelmed by the fire. We expected a better and more serious approach to the raging fire. The only fire engine they brought to the scene quickly ran out of water”, the SSG fumed.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
