Fire guts Ondo state governor' office as PDP national chairman Alimodu Sheriff visit Gov Mimiko.

The visitation of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff to the Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko was early disrupted Wednesday as the multi-billion naira Executives’ Chamber of the governor’s office was gutted by fire.

The PDP Chairman, who arrived the state at exactly 1:15 pm was expected to address the party leaders and journalists in the same executives chamber’s office.

Sheriff was still in a close door meeting with Mimiko in his main office three minutes after he arrived when the incident occurred.

This was said to have been caused by power surge from the ante-room of the governor’s office.

Journalists and PDP leaders, who were waiting for Sheriff at the Executives chamber’s office discovered the fire outbreak but their efforts was not enough to quench the fire.

However, as the information reached the governor, he quickly left the office with his guest to the Government House which is about two kilometers to his office. Workers were seen rushing out of their offices for safety.

Officers of the Fire Brigade Services and the State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Gboye Adegbenro arrived the scene 20 minutes after the incident occurred.

The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, while confirming it said it was a minor incident and had been put off by the fire officers.

According to him, “we have a power surge at the ante room that the links to the State executives chamber of the governor’s office.

“Our fire officers responded promptly and put off the fire. Work is now back normal at the governor’s office.

Akinmade said he decided to address reporters in order to discourage people with insinuation by putting the record straight.

“It is a general things that power surge occurred. Of recent, I think CBN office in Calabar was on fire and even the fire secretariat in Abuja was once on fire.

“Thank God that our fire fighters were able to be on ground to prevent the incident from being escalated.

The Commissioner however said he could not ascertain the level of damage of the fire incident.

At the Government House, Sheriff said he was in the state to consult with the PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman ahead of the PDP Convention slated for May.