By  Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos—Goods and property worth over N80 million was lost Thursday when a late night inferno razed a Jos-based jelly-making factory, Bowlis Industries Nigeria Limited, situated at Rafin-Pa area of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state.

It was learnt that the fire, which gutted the industry that employs 40 permanent staff and 60 casual workers, started at about 11:00 pm on Thursday night due to high surge in electricity supply in the area.

Explaining the situation, the General Manager of the industry, Malam Abubakar Muhammad, said workers had closed from work early that day and there was no power supply at the time they left but he got a call from neighbours who told him that fire had engulfed the factory.

While commending the efforts of the State Fire Service in containing the fire before it could cause further damage in nearby houses in the area, he debunked the rumour that an explosive device might have caused the inferno saying “the sound were those of the chemical containers exploding from the fire.”

His words: “I got calls from neighbours around the industry who told me that electricity was restored and they heard a sound of spark from a high tension wire which dropped on the zinc of our production unit. They thought it was just the spark and went back into their homes, but latter discovered that fire had caught the place.

“By the time I arrived the place, men of the State Fire Service were called upon and had promptly responded, with three of their trucks; one came first but the fire was too much, they called for reinforcement which they got from Bukuru and the State Government House.

“The fire was put out with the combined efforts of the neighbouring communities at about 12:45 am. I thank Allah that no life was lost and no injury sustained as a result of the fire incident though the fire spread to the production, packaging and storage sections of the factory and had caused loss of raw materials and finished products.”

He estimated the losses to cost a total of about N80 million and called on the government to come to their aid so that the factory which employs 40 permanent staff and 60 casual workers can be put back to use.