Panic-stricken guests at the 3J’s Hotel in Jabi, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday scampered for safety out of the five-storey building when the hotel was gutted by fire, Blueprint gathered.
Our reporter learnt that the fire which started at 5.30pm was first sighted at the 5th floor of the building, causing the guests, especially those on the last floor, to seek alternative ways to safety.
According to eyewitnesses, rescue operations began immediately, with good Samaritans around the hotel and some of the guests spreading blankets and extending ladders for the visibly frightened guests to jump or climb down through the windows before the Federal Fire Service arrived.
The fire fighters were said to have put the situation under control as soon as they discovered that the fire had not spread beyond the last floor where it started.
When our reporter arrived at the scene, the three fire vehicles had put out the fire and were about to leave the premises.
However, more than 20 policemen, including the detectives, were at the premises and, according to explanations by one of the staffers, the police were there to ensure that hoodlums did not vandalise the hotel’s property.
Both the police and the hotel management denied journalists access into the hotel premises by locking their gates and declined to comment on the incident.