TRACKING >Techno headquarters building which housed Visco Communications Limited located along Melford Okilo Expressway in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital was on New Year day gutted by fire destroying property worth millions of naira.
Hoodlums took advantage of the tragedy to loot expensive phones, electronics and undisclosed amount of cash in the safe.
According to investigations, the fire started from the generator house when the generating set exploded.
In the ensuring confusion to check where the fire was coming from those on duty at the Techno shop ran upstairs and that gave the hoodlums a field day to steal phones, electronics and cash from the safe.
The prompt intervention of fire service personnel that were quickly deployed to the scene stopped the fire from spreading and men of the Bayelsa State Police Command were also deployed to thwart further looting of the shops.
Mr Bob- Manuel Ugo, the media officer of Visco Communications who described the fire incident as a tragedy, lamented the attitude of those who rather than help to put off the fire were busy looting phones from the Tecno shop.
“I was in the market when I was called that the building was on fire. I had to rushed down and saw a crowd gathered at around building. It was unfortunate that while everybody was concerned about the fire, some people took advantage to loot our shop of phones and millions of naira in the safe. It is bad that people could be that callous. We are still trying to estimate how much we have lost.”
Another eye-witness who identified him Diepreye said he was at the Techno shop to buy a phone when suddenly they heard shouts of fire and those in the shop ran upstairs to check if the fire could be put off.
“I was in the shop about to buy a phone when we heard shouts of fire. We all ran upstairs but it was sad that people took advantage of that to loot the phones and other valuables in the shop. It is really sad that people could behave like that on a New Year day. Some people took two phones, others one. They did not even pity the owner. It is bad.”
