By Vincent Ujumadu

A 17-year-old girl, Chinenye Igwedimma, surprised neighbours at Umupku in Awka South Local Government Area, when she went into their burning four-bedroom apartment and rescued her three cousins, who were fast asleep when the fire started.

It was gathered that the building went up in flames when most of the occupants had left their houses with nobody to call firemen. As a result, property worth millions of naira, including books and academic certificates, were completely destroyed by the fire.

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According to some residents in the area, the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction, as it started shortly after public power supply was restored.

Much damage had, however, been done before the fire was put out by a combined team of the Anambra State Fire Service and other residents of the area.

Narrating the incident to sympathisers, Igwedimma said she returned to the house to perform some chores, when she saw the roof of the building in flames, adding that her first reaction was to rescue the three children, who were sleeping in the burning house.

“Thereafter, I quickly raised the alarm for help, as I was overwhelmed while trying to salvage few items from the inferno,” she said.

Owner of the building, Mrs. Blessing Uchendu, a staff of the state-owned Anambra Broadcas-ting Service, ABS, said she was at work when a call came that her house was on fire, adding that she quickly rushed home to discover that everything, including her certificates, from primary school to university levels, had been destroyed in the inferno.

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Principal Fire Superintendent in the state Fire Service, Mr. Emmanuel Nze, said it was difficult to say the cause, as no adult was home when it began.

Vanguard