Traders have lamented the loss of goods worth millions of naira to the night fire incident that occurred at popular Iweka Road, close to Ochanja market, Onitsha, Anambra State.
According to report, the fire started around 8:30pm on Tuesday as shops, goods, and property were razed to ashes.
At the time of writing this report, the cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained.
Traders count their losses
A shop owner who identified himself as Nonye said, “I deal on furniture and leather materials. Some of us arrived this morning to see that our shops have been reduced to rubble as a result of the fire incident. It is a huge loss to us.
“The cause of the fire is still unknown. It burnt many shops. We had gone home before the fire started. I learnt the security personnel called the telephone lines of the shop owners, while some people came to salvage some things from their shop, I couldn’t come because I didn’t receive any call as my phone shut down because of lack of electricity.”
Another victim, who gave her name as Uche, said, “I deal on foams. The information circulated at midnight that some shops were on fire and that firefighters were battling to control it. Some people who were mobile rushed to the scene to ascertain what was happening.
But I couldn’t come and only came this morning to see that everything in my shop and some other shops had been reduced to ashes. We learnt that the firefighters battled for several hours before quenching the fire. This is a huge loss to us and I don’t know where to start from again.”
The head of Media and Publicity Unit of the Anambra State Fire Service, Chukwudi Chiketa, also confirmed the incident. Chiketa said a distress call was received at about 9:40 pm and immediately a crew of firemen and firefighting equipment were deployed to the scene.
Chiketa said, “Anambra State Fire Service at about 9.40 pm of Tuesday, March 25, received a distress call about a raging fire at the popular Iweka Road, close to Ochanja Market, Onitsha.
“Immediately, a crew of firemen and firefighting equipment was deployed to the scene of the fire, they fought gallantly and contained the incident, stopping the fire from further escalation.
“The incident affected four shops, and many others were saved in a two-storey building. These shops contained furniture materials such as leather, foam and others.
“The cause of the fire has not been ascertained. The firemen withdrew from the incident scene at 03.05 am the next day, Wednesday, March 26.
