Traders at A. T. D line Building Materials, Bridge Head Market, Onitsha seem to be counting their losses after a midnight fire destroyed their goods.
The fire, which according, to eyewitnesses razed four shops completely and affected about eight other shops with goods running in millions lost to the inferno.
Speaking to the ABS, the Secretary Amalgamated Timber Dealers Association Mr. Augustine Ezekwugo described the incident as unfortunate and unexpected as they have never experienced such incident in the market, and regretted the great loss adding that proper investigation is ongoing to find out the cause of the incident, calling on traders to ensure that they switched off all electrical appliances before leaving the market to avoid re-occurrence.
An Iron and steel dealer whose shop was affected, Mr. Chigozie Akabuogu said he got a call in the middle of the night from some friends that live close to the market that his shop with goods worth over thirty-five million naira and that of his sister who deals on accessories, Mrs. Onyinyechi Ezekwu with goods worth over twenty-five million naira were on fire and lamented that the fire also burnt one-million-naira cash he left in his shop.
A Royal Drail and Rolling Doors Dealer, Mr. Ikechukwu Benjamin expressed dismay over the incident that consumed his goods, calling on the government to provide fire hydrants in the market.
Another victim, a saw dust dealer, Mr. Godwin Nsofor lamented that all the woods he sawed for his clients were lost to the inferno, saying that the fire outbreak was as a result of electrical fault
Also speaking some of the witnesses who assisted in putting out the fire, including Mr. Francis Uchechuwu and Mr. Valentine Chimobi disclosed that Fegge youths and neighbours helped to control the fire with water and detergent.
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