Goods and properties, including equipment estimated to be worth millions of naira were said to have been destroyed when an early morning fire burnt some shops near the General Post Office at Ibokwu Street, by Old Market Road, Onitsha, Anambra State.
TheNigerian Metro gathered that the fire, which started at about 9 am on Wednesday, when the shopowners were at home celebrating Christmas, was prevented from spreading to nearby structures by residents and passers-by.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene hours later, gathered that the affected areas were attachment buildings and other makeshift structures put in place by traders at the General Post Office. The section was said to have been sold to a businessman.
Some of the victims were seen trying to salvage some of their goods that were half burnt, while others who found nothing to rescue were seen crying profusely.
The actual cause of the fire had yet to be ascertained as of the time of writing this report, but some of the eyewitnesses who participated in the rescue efforts suspected it could be a result of a power surge.
An eyewitness and a house owner in one of the houses, who identified himself as Chidimma Ike, said the fire emanated from one of the shops with residents seeing thick flames as it spread to others before residents and passers-by mobilised for rescue efforts.
Ike said despite several calls put across to the state fire service, no firefighter came to the scene, adding that it was only residents and passers-by who battled to quench it and prevent it from escalating to neighbouring structures.
She said, “The fire started from one of the shops at about 9 am as we suddenly observed thick smoke and before we knew what was going on, the fire started raging. Most of the traders and shopowners did not come for business today as they were at home celebrating Christmas.
“As the fire was raging, several calls were made to the fire service, but they did not show up at the scene. It was residents and passers-by who mobilised and started rescue efforts and battled the fire for several hours before they were able to quench it. Most people, including motorists, volunteered their fire extinguishers during the rescue efforts.
“Some traders who were alerted came to the scene to see if they could salvage any of their goods before the fire escalated further, but somehow, only a few people salvaged half of their burnt items while those who couldn’t were left stranded.
“Most victims could not take anything out of their shops. I can say that goods and equipment worth millions of naira were lost to the fire. We cannot say what caused the fire, but we are suspecting electrical fault.”
One of the affected shop owners, Chinedu Nnamdi, who also lives in the area, said he saw smoke from afar and thought somebody was burning some waste because the shops were closed for the Christmas celebration. It was not known that it was smoke from the fire that engulfed their shops, until he was called by his neighbours to come to rescue his things.
Nnamdi said, “Some of the equipment affected are D I machines, said to cost over N2m each, fridges and generators, computers, printing machines, stationary, and other work equipment different artisans use there.
“The items burnt very fast because they were highly inflammable. Most of the traders who arrived at the scene, could not save their goods as the shops were already on fire when they came. Although no life was lost, goods and properties worth several millions of naira were damaged in the fire and people’s shops were totally razed.”
TheNigerian Metro had reported that three fire incidents already occurred at different locations of the state between Sunday and Tuesday, causing havoc and destruction of goods and property.
Every effort to get the reactions of the Anambra State Fire Chief, Chukwudi Chiketa, proved abortive as several calls and messages to his telephone line were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.
