Several shops at the Timber Market close to the Bridgehead, Onitsha the commercial town of Anambra state were on Saturday gutted by fire.
The latest development has brought to four consecutive times horrible fire incidents had to hit the state.
It had also raised concerns among traders and residents as several billions of naira and properties have been consumed by the wild tongues of avoidable fire incidents.
Although, the cause of the fire at the timber market was yet to be established as at the time of this report, but it was learnt that it started late evening on Saturday.
Director of Fire Services in the State, Engr. Martin Agbili, in a statement said a team of the state fire service had been deployed to the scene.
According to him, “I have deployed our firefighters to the fire scene. They are there fighting the fire.”
Recall that on November 8th 2022, there was an explosion at the popular drug market (Ogbo Ogwu) near the Bridge head in Onitsha in which three persons died, others injured and goods worth millions of naira were destroyed.
It was gathered that the incident occurred at the chemical section of the market and that a storey building housing chemicals was razed down in the process.
Source said, “The explosion sound was heavy, putting fears on many traders in the market. We did not suspect any bomb issue. I am on my way home and many other traders, but the fire service personnel are already on ground to handle the situation,” he said.
SERAP gives Okowa, Wike, others 7 days to disclose spending of N625bn refunds
Similarly, on November 15th this year, operatives of the State Fire service had saved the Anambra State revenue service building complex and three petrol stations from fire following a an explosion from a truck laden with petrol at popular at the Eze-Uzu/Immigration junction along the Enugu-Awka-Onitsha expressway in Awka the state capital.
Managing Director of the state Fire Service, Chief Engr. Martin Agbili, who led the safety operation at the scene of the petrol tanker fire, noted that the Revenue House, Opet Petrol Station, ABC Petrol Station and Juhel Petrol Station, would have been completely reduced to rubbles, but for the timely intervention of firefighters.
Agbili in a statement on the fire incident explained that the cause of the fire was due to over speeding by a petrol laden tanker which lost control and crashed at the Immigration Junction and spilled its contents on the very busy junction and caught fire in the process.
Also, the Cosmetics section of the International Main Market Onitsha, on November 28th 2022, was torched by fire in the wee hours of the day, leaving the traders with billions of naira worth of goods, in rubbles.
The inferno was said to have happened at about 1:00am on Monday in the market.
The state Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo had expressed sadness over the fire incident.
Soludo who sympathized with victims and owners of the burnt shops at the Kano Street end of the market, in a statement by his Press Secretary Mr. Christian Aburime said, “As a responsive government, we are already on top of the situation, investigating the remote and immediate causes of the fire, as well as the losses incurred with a view to averting a future recurrence of the disaster.”
The governor said, “Efforts of our emergency responders like the state fire service contributed in extinguishing the fire and I find their efforts heartwarming.
“I encourage those affected to remain strong and resolute in the face of the extreme loss as we continue to work with relevant institutions to find lasting solutions to the perennial fire incidences across the state,” the governor said.
He reiterated the need for citizens to adhere to fire safety measures, particularly, in this season of the year.
Soludo had also stressed the need for emergency training and embracing insurance policy schemes for traders and owners of businesses in various markets in the state.
The governor stated this through his Deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim when he visited the scene of the unfortunate fire incident at Kano Street.
“If it means every trader at Main Market to have fire extinguishers in their shops, we will put it as a law and enforce compliance. An immediate emergency training must be conducted,” he stated.
“How many traders have insurance? I have always asked this question. Insurance helps to cushion effect of this nature. This is the kind of structure we want to lay and we will get there. We will expose you to all these insights because this is what the government have come to do,” the governor said.
He however regretted that such unfortunate fire mishap has become an annual occurrence in the state and expressed optimism that such would not reoccur, especially during the festive season.
The governor pointed out the existence of illegal structures in the market which usually lead to lack of emergency exits.
The Managing Director of State Fire Service, Engr. Martin Agbili, said “At about 0220hrs (2.20am) of Monday 28-11-2022, Anambra State Fire Service, received a distress call of fire outbreak at Kano Street behind Main Market, Onitsha.”
“However, we deployed our fire truck and firefighters to scene of fire and they have been working there. They have gone for refilling of the fire truck twice.”
