Reports coming in say that fire has just gutted the Balmoral Hall, venue of City People Awards just as the event was going on this evening. Tuface Idibia, Genevieve Nnaji, Sen. Florence Ita Giwa and many politicians were at the venue when the fire started...

Something close to what one will call an explosion occurred some minutes ago at the Balmoral Event center in Oregun. We gathered on good authority that the talk of the town event centre had been reduced to ashes as a result of a fire out break.

Before the inferno, we gathered the event centre was filed to the brim with politicians, celebrities and government officials among whom included he likes of Sen Florence Ita-giwa, Senators of the federal republic, 2face Idibia, Genevieve Nnaji, Yaw of Wasobia FM, Alariwo of Africa, Segun Obe and many more.

We understand that the purpose of the gathering was for the 14th City People Awards for Excellence organized by City People Group, publishers of City People magazine. As at the time of filing this report no casualty was recorded. Some of eyewitnesses we spoke to said “ the fire was definitely deliberate”. Some said it was politically motivated because it started immediately an award was presented to some Lagos state government officials; and that as soon the hall was filled with the shout “ACN Democracy forever”, the fire started.

While some other people who bared their minds said the fire or "bomb" may have been planted by rivals of the event centre as A-list events are gradually been stage there nowadays and therefore spoiling business for the event centres in the neighborhood. However this goes, let us thank God that no life was lost in the inferno as it would have been another national disaster. We want to be sure that the government will look into the matter and a clearer picture of what really caused the inferno will be made public asap.