Tears, sorrow as fire guts Ogbe-Ijoh market

ALTHOUGH of lesser magnitude when compared to the past, sorrow and tears flowed uncontrolled last Tuesday afternoon when fire gutted part of the controversial yet-to-be inaugurated Ogbe-Ijoh iron market in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Ogbe-Ijoh iron market relishes notoriety annually when it comes to fire disasters, partly because illegally-refined oil products find their ways from the creeks into the market.

After the structure was commenced by the Chief James Ibori government, successive governments have not been able to complete and inaugurate the market due to acrimony.

Fire usually creeps in to wreck the average economic fortunes of traders plying their trade in the stalls when tests are allegedly carried out to ascertain the poorly refined products.

The case was not different, as gathered by the Nigerian Tribune last Tuesday, as an attempt to test one of the petroleum products contained in plastic vessels resulted in a spark that burnt a new car, some shops and other valuables.

Traders and other occupiers of the section of the market scampered for safety with many dragging their wares from harm’s way.

A victim of the inferno, Preye King, who lost a fortune, while speaking to the Nigerian Tribune, lamented the loss he and other victims had suffered.

Preye, who lost his restaurant to the inferno, said “We no even know say the place they burn, na small time we con hear fire, they say na kerosene wen person they test na in cause am.

“Where I want start from now? Na food I dey sell for inside. I get restaurant for inside. But na only my cooler I fit comot, “ she enthused in pidgin English.

Asking her about the cost of food lost, she said further in pidgin: “e don happen, e don happen. I just want make government empower me because na this business I take dey manage o.”

Narrating her experience, another victim identified as Lady B, who was lucky to have sold most of her goods, betrayed some emotions in tears.

“We dey here dey chop groundnut na we just hear fire, we con dey try whether we fit off am, before we know we just hear ‘gboo,’ the thing just burst enter we side,  na we go turn round.

“I just thank God say God nor dey sleep, yesterday na customers come like say them free them from cage, between that yesterday and today, I sell almost all my load finish before here con catch fire, “ the Ijaw woman noted.

Madam Kerosene did not lose her wares to the inferno, but hoodlums who capitalised on the confusion that ensued to pilfer.

The kerosene seller said, “My load nor burn o but when the thing happen, as people dey try comot their load, them thief my own join,  I get three drums and some kegs before, but na only one I con see.”

InsideNigerDelta gathered that the car that was burnt beyond recognition contained some documents and money and that owner newly bought it.

Efforts made to push the car, said to belong to an Ijaw youth, away before the fire located it were futile as it was said to be automatic that could not be pushed by sympathisers.

Meanwhile, fire fighters from the state fire agency, who got late to the scene, could not be reached to comment on the incident, as the raging inferno was largely contained by the traders.

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