Goods destroyed as fire guts shops in Anambra market
Goods and properties estimated to be worth millions of naira were said to have been destroyed when an early morning fire burnt some shops at Afor Nnobi Market in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Wednesday.
Our correspondent gathered that a section of the market housing two shops with various items, including clothing and textile materials, was destroyed by the inferno.
The actual cause of the fire had yet to be ascertained as of the time of writing this report, but while some people suspected a power surge, others believed otherwise.
An eyewitness who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the fire emanated from one of the shops with residents seeing thick flames as it spread to others before the men of the state fire service arrived at the scene to put out the fire.
The source said the firefighters battled for several hours to put off the fire and prevented it from escalating to other shops, including other neighbouring structures.
One of the traders, who simply identified himself as Ndubisi, said the fire started at about 7:15 am, while he estimated that traders lost goods worth millions of naira in the fire.
Ndubisi said, “Traders were just preparing to open their various business premises this morning when suddenly we noticed a fire raging from a section of the market. The fire burnt for several hours before the firefighters came to quench it.
“Some traders who had not come to the market were quickly alerted to see if they could salvage any of their goods before the fire escalated further, but somehow, nobody was able to go near it as it raged with fury.
“We observed thick smoke coming out around a section of the shops and we alerted those affected, some of them arrived promptly at the scene, but could not save their goods as the shops were already on fire before the firefighters came.
“The victims could not take anything out of their shops. I can say that goods worth millions of naira were lost to the fire. We can not say what caused the fire, but we pray God comes to their aid.”
When contacted by PUNCH Metro, the Anambra State Fire Chief, Chukwudi Chiketa, confirmed the development, adding that no life was lost, but two shops were damaged.
Chiketa said, “The Anambra State Fire Service received a distress call at about 07:52 am over a raging fire at the Afor Nnobi market.
“The firemen and fire truck in Nnewi Fire Station were deployed immediately and they turned out to the scene and contained the fire.
“No life was lost, the fire affected about two shops, the result of the fire was a result of a power surge in one of the affected shops.”
He advised the residents to always contact firefighters on time whenever they observed any fire incident, adding that fire kills, but it can be prevented.
He stressed that it was necessary to let the public know that the time of call always determines the time of response.
Reacting to the incident when he visited the scene of the fire disaster, the President-General, Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders’ Association, Chief Humphrey Anuna, observed that the shops were built under a high tension pole.
Anuna, therefore, ordered that all structures built under the high tension in the market be demolished immediately.
He said, “I thank God that no life was lost. I have been here up to five times last year, telling them to dismantle all the illegal structures built under the high tension but to no avail. Today, properties and wares estimated into millions of naira have been lost to the inferno.
“Look at the park in the market, they have converted it to make-shift structures and under high tension wire. That is why I ordered the demolition of the illegal structures built there.”
In his remarks, the Chairman of the market, Chief Maduabuchi Ezeoke, who spoke through the former Task Force leader of the market, Chief Mathew Nwaneli, recalled that the traders had on several occasions been warned to stop doing business under the high tension.
“This incident is a lesson to them that building or selling under high tension is a big risk that can result in sudden death. When the ASMATA PG was telling them last year not to build shops under high tension, they thought he was only jealous of their business.
“He has ordered that all structures built under high tension will be demolished and you can see that some have started to remove them because they have seen that now he is serious. Today, shops and wares estimated into millions of naira have been lost to the early morning inferno,” he stated.
