Traders lose millions as midnight fire guts popular Onitsha market

By: Cajetan Mmuta

Traders at the popular Onitsha Bridge Head Market in Anambra State have bemoaned their sudden fate after a midnight inferno destroyed goods and properties worth several millions of naira in the area.

The incident, which occurred at midnight on Friday, happened at the market located in Onitsha South Local Government Area of the state.

Most of the traders in the area were said to have had the shock of their lives as they arrived at the market on Saturday morning to see their shops in ruins following huge and thick smoke that engulfed the area.

As of the time of filing this report, it was not clear the actual number of shops that were affected by the inferno.

It was learnt that many shops in the drugs market were affected, running into several millions of naira.

Investigations revealed that the fire started from the Plumbing Materials Section of the Head Bridge Market, located near the Ogbo-Ogwu Medicine Market in Onitsha.

Areas mostly affected by the tongues of fire included plumbing materials and other items, including drugs worth several millions of naira.

Eyewitnesses said the fire started at midnight and sympathisers, which included members of the public and traders who were alerted about the ugly development, were caught by surprise.

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The people present were said to have made desperate moves to fight the fire and to save some goods, but it was too late as the fire raged recklessly.

A team of firefighters later arrived at the scene as victims whose wares were on fire wailed profusely over the huge losses.

The market is located along the busy Onitsha-Awka-Enugu Expressway, near the River Niger Bridge.

According to an eyewitness, “The fire started at almost 12 midnight, the security men at the market alerted officials and traders, but before they could rush to the market, the fire had burnt a substantial part of the market.

“As we speak now, some of the affected shop owners are still packing some of their burnt items and examining the extent of damage. The exact cause of the fire could not be immediately determined, but a power surge is suspected.”

The Caretaker Committee Chairman, Bridge Head Market, Onitsha, Chinedu Ezekwike, confirmed the fire incident.

He said, “There was a serious fire outbreak last night at Head Bridge Market, Onitsha, at the Plumbing Materials Section. When we contacted the Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area around 12 midnight, he responded immediately and contacted fire service personnel, and they came in numbers and quenched the fire.

“Special thanks to the Chairman of Plumbing Materials, who left his house in Asaba around 12:15am to control the situation in his domain.”

“As the President General of the market, I want to use this medium to thank all those who contributed in one way or the other to make sure that the fire was quenched last night.”

Also, the Communications Department of the State Fire Service, headed by Mr Chukwudi Chiketa, confirmed the incident.

He said, “Yes, there was a fire incident at the market at about 11pm. The cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained, but it was massive and destroyed some plumbing and building materials, while what was rescued was also massive.

“As we speak, men of the fire service are still at the market.”