By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Awka
Traders at A. T. D line Building Materials, Bridge Head Market, Onitsha, Anambra State, Monday, count their loses as midnight fire gutted the market, destroying goods worth billions of naira.
According to sources, the fire which started from one shop, completely razed four shops and affected about eight others with goods running in millions lost before it was put off by neighbouring youths and others.
A victim, Mr Chigozie Akabuogu, who deals in Iron and steel, described it as an ugly incident, because he lost goods worth over N35 million, while his sister, Mrs Onyinyechi Ezekwu lost, who deals on accessories, lost N25 million worth goods to the inferno.
“I got a call in the middle of the night from some friends that live close to the market that my shop with goods worth over N35million was on fire. N1million cash I left in the shop was also razed.
“They also told me that not only mine was affected but that of my sister who deals on accessories. Her goods that were destroyed were worth over N25million,” he said.
Also recounting his loss, Mr Ikechukwu Benjamin, who trades on Royal Drail and Rolling Doors, sought the support of the government to help them get back to business, including by providing the market with fire hydrants.
Another victim, a saw dust dealer, Godwin Nsofor who attributed the fire outbreak to electrical fault, lamented that all the woods he sawed for his clients were lost to the inferno.
However, the Secretary Amalgamated Timber Dealers Association, Mr. Augustine Ezekwugo, while describing the incident as unfortunate and unexpected, assured that proper investigation was ongoing to unravel the cause of the incident.
Tags
News