Popular side of Asaba stadium goes up in flames

By Mainstreamnews Last updated Nov 14, 2022

Popular side of Asaba stadium goes up in flames

For the umpteenth time, contractor default on Sunday resulted in a near fatal fire incident at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, but for the quick intervention of fire fighters.

Eyewitnesses reported that this time again like Wednesday, thugs at the stadium attacked passersby, who took shots, dispossessing them of their phones.

It would be recalled that Sunday’s fire incident is the fourth time the stadium is witnessing very major accidents.

Previously, the giant overhead tank had collapsed smashing cars and other surrounding assets during the 2018 Africa Athletics Summit n Asaba.

Next was the sudden collapse of the huge TV screen that beams live action during sporting events at the stadium, while Wednesday morning’s collapse of the sports complex under construction, recording casualties, was the third.

Residents in the neighborhood told Mainstreamnews that the recurring accidents is beginning to engender panic in the area, wondering why such critical infrastructure could not be handled by construction companies with proven expertise.

A middle aged woman narrated how wind had blown off stadium roofs by the popular side, which compelled the ongoing renovation work, less than four years the stadium was completed.

“The contractors did shoddy job and as we can see the materials used were substandard. Imagine less than four years the stadium was completed the state government is doing major renovation.

“With all these fire and collapsing structures, it is evident the government is deliberately engaging their cronies who do not have the requisite experience and expertise in the construction of huge projects, such as the stadium, she lamented.

Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu again denied that the stadium went up in billows of flames.

Speaking at the venue, he said the alleged fire incident did not affect the stadium complex but condemned roofing sheets removed from the building.

Aniagwu said the fire was not caused by electrical connection or picture of any presidential candidate as mischievously reported by the man who recorded the video in circulation.

He cautioned that Social Media was supposed to be a means of adding value to the information value chain and warned against using it to score some cheap political points.

According to him, the fire was caused by the drop from the welder’s electrode which fell on the condemned roofing sheets on the ground.

“I told you a few days ago that we are undertaking some renovation works in this facility and while the welder was very busy working upstairs, the electrode that was actually more like a spark coming from the iron fell on the condemned roofing sheets on the ground and it caught fire.

“The fire did not affect the stadium itself but unfortunately the heat that emanated from the fire melted some of the cladding on the wall of the stadium not that the stadium itself caught fire.

“It is the condemned roofing sheets that was removed from the roof which has become more like a waste and was yet to be evacuated from the premises of the stadium.

“While the welder was very busy welding upstairs, the electrodes from the welding activity fell on the condemned roofing sheets and in the course of time the heat from the fire melted some of the cladding on the wall not that the stadium itself caught fire.

“The fire was extinguished by the workers on ground even before the arrival of the state fire service,”

He appealed to Deltans to shun churning out evil propaganda as it does nobody any good.

“Evil propaganda does not pay anybody any good. We do know that we are in the period of intense politicking but to begin to wish the state evil does not in anyway give us result.

“I say so because the nature of propaganda emanating from a lot of activities in recent times is becoming alarming.

“The man who filmed the smoke from afar was shouting that the picture of a particular political party was responsible for fire, since when did posters become fire or matches such that once it’s pasted it sets the place ablaze?

“The time he should have used in assisting to put out the fire he was busy using it to play politics.

“It is important to note that once the state successfully hosts the National Sports Festival it is to the glory of everybody in Delta.

“Delta will benefit from transportation, entertainment, tourism and many other things associated with hosting events of that magnitude,” Aniagwu said.

He pleaded with Deltans to shun politics and support the state government in its efforts to host world class sports festival.

“As much as social media is wonderful and desirable, individuals must not continue to deploy it for negative reasons because the way it was reported is not what happened,” he added.