It was a Christmas Day tragedy in the university town of Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State on Sunday as traders at the town’s main market lost millions of Naira to an morning inferno that gutted over 10 shops.
Nigerian Tribune learnt from one of the traders, who pleaded anonymity, that the loss could have been more if not for the intervention of people who live near the market, who mobilised to combat the fire.
The source stated that the fire started from a wire in one of the shops, which caught fire when electricity was suddenly restored in the market.
“The fire started at about 10.45am when a wire sparked after electricity was restored. More traders were saved from incurring huge financial losses as neighbours trooped out to put out the fire, she volunteered.
She added that the traders in the markets commended the efforts of neighbours who came out to put out the fire.
“The loss could have been more. However, 10 shops with good worth millions were lost because most of the traders just bought to sell during the festive period”, she added.
A lecturer at the Ambrose Ali University (AAU), Professor Jude Obasanmi, said it was disheartening that there was no presence of fire service, to combat the infernor, wondering why Benin city is the only place where the fire service operatesbin the state
Professor Obasanmi’s account of the fire incident blamed the fire outbreak on a lady in the market, who came to make some sales, and in the process,set some refuse on fire and left, with the fire spreading to the shops.
“A lady came to her shop around Aburime Street to make some sales. After some sales she gathered some refuse and started burning them. She did not wait to see the end but left and the fire spreads to other areas”, the university don explained.
When contracted, the control room of the Edo State Fire Service, on the cause of the fire and efforts to put it off said all enquiry should be directed to another officer in the Ekpoma office of the Service.
However, the number of the Ekpoma fire officer could not be reached as the mobile number was switched off.
It would be recalled that penultimate week, a fire incident occurred at the Lagos Street area of Benin metropolis, where several shops were burnt and millions of Naira lost.
The state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, had while reacting to the New Lagos Road fire incident, assured that the state had the necessary manpower and equipment to combat fire incidents, just as he called on members of the public to take precautions to avert such disaster.