The Plateau State factory of Bowlis Industries Nigeria Limited in Jos suffered huge losses after an electric fault sparked an at the weekend destroyed about N80 million worth of products and other properties.
Bowlis are the makers of Vowles and Realine Pomade (Jelly) and perfumes.
The disaster struck at about 11pm of Saturday, after staffs had closed from the factory located at Rafin-Pa area of the state capital, Malam Abubakar Muhammad, the General Manager told newsmen.
“They told me that electric city 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, they all went back into their home, but latter discovered that fire has caught up with the place,” Muhammad said.
He said his staff closed from work early when there was no electricity, and added that he was alerted by some neighbours who told him that fire engulfed the factory.
He said as soon as he 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 neighboring community at about 12:45 am.”
He thank Allah that no life was loss and even no injuries were sustained as a result of the fire incident.
The fire which engulfed the warehouse spread to the production, packaging and storage sections, had caused loss of raw materials and finished products.
The GM said: “The raw materials worth N 58,614,800, while the finished products worth N 10,670,500, Siemena mixer machines as well as small, medium and big fire extinguishers worth N 4,425,000 were the estimated loss.”
He said consumable items destroyed by the fire worth N 5, 701, 500, while other items destroyed are been quantified but; “In summary we have in the interim quantified over N80m loss.”
According to him the industry were established in 2003 and duly incorporated with the Corporate Affairs Commission and that is has 40 permanent staff, with other 60 casual workers.
The General Manager debunk insinuations that the sound heard during the incident was that of explosives device, saying it was those of the chemicals contained in their containers.
“All our working equipment, chemicals including different sections the company were destroyed but there was no case of death, serious injuries. The fire fighters have also responded swiftly having (been)informed on the development. The fire was later put off by the effort of the fire service ” the manager added.
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