We’ve lost our entire life investments •Victims of Onitsha fire speak, blame govt, ask for help

Just the day before, the young and the young at heart were celebrating Valentine’s Day. It was a convivial atmosphere in Onitsha just as it was in many other parts of the country and beyond. But 24 hours later, a tragedy that erased the memories of the previous day occurred.

At about 8 p.m, an articulated vehicle laden with petrol fell within Mobil filling station, opposite Dennis Memorial Grammar School (DMGS) along Oguta and Upper New Roads, spilling its content. The resulting inferno was instant as huge flames of fire engulfed the entire station and adjoining areas.

The Mobil filling station was completely razed including two adjoining filling stations. Properties worth millions of naira which included fifteen residential buildings and over thirty vehicles belonging to different residents and occupants of offices in the area were lost. Over ten shops were also gutted by the raging fire when the fuel spilled by the vehicle began to pour into the drainage and from there to the shops.

Fortunately, a popular building known as Kamo plaza where two banks have their offices was spared as the damage to it was minimal. However, no life was lost.

One of the victims of the inferno, Mr. Ikenna Unachukwu, owns a storey building which included a pent house housing a big electronics shop, Ben Cash Electronics in the area. Electronic items worth hundreds of millions of naira were completely destroyed at the building situated at No 90, Upper New Market Road. Though shocked at the extent of the damage done to his property, Unachukwu has, however, taken the tragedy in his strides.

“I thank God that no life was lost in the incident, but I would call on the Anambra State governor to assist victims of this tragedy,” he told Nigerian Tribune during the week.

A former national publicity secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Obi, was also a victim of the fire incident. His office at 88 Upper New Market Road, a three storey building was razed and about four vehicles destroyed in the same building.

“I do only law practice here to earn a living and for a situation of this kind to happen and all the things I have acquired in the practice destroyed in less than 30 minutes, is very unfortunate. You can see these vehicles burnt down; one of them belongs to a lawyer in my office. Government must take proactive measures in arresting this type of situation,” he said.

He, however, appealed to Governor Willie Obiano to ensure the relocation of all the fuel stations within residential areas with immediate effect while urging him to assist all victims.

On his part, Mr. Humphrey Udechukwu, a legal officer lost his four-year-old Volvo S 40 saloon car to the fire incident. He regretted that the fire incident could have been averted or at worst contained, if not for some laxity on the side of the government for failing to provide the necessary fire-fighting equipment.

“We are devastated. I also lost some important documents in my office while some were rescued. I would have lost my other car (a Toyota Corolla), that is the only one I have now. It was saved because one of the lawyers in my office went out with it,” he stated.

Mr Morgan Muoghalu, who also lost his Toyota Camry 2010, said he could not speak because he was confused. Also, Mr. Fred Chigbata, another Onitsha-based legal practitioner, a graduate of Edo State University, now Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, was lucky not to have lost the whole of his car to the inferno. However, the damage done to his car was enough to keep it off the road for some time to come.

Two tricycle operators who lost their tricycles to the inferno, Kingsley Ebube and Donatus Okonkwo, respectively lamented that their only source of livelihood had been consumed by the inferno and are therefore at a loss.

“We are now jobless since our means of livelihood had been destroyed. We don’t know what to do again,” Ebube said.

The case of Mrs. Juana Oboli, an indigene of Onitsha is probably more pathetic than the previous ones mentioned. She is a widow but works with the Nigerian Prison Service, Awka. Her residential building which she laboured for 12 years to build was totally consumed by the fire. She called on the state government to help her recover her loss.

“I struggled for more than 12 years to complete the house after I lost my husband. I am devastated and I want government to intervene because I don’t have anybody else to help me in this case. I need help,” Oboli said.

The Bishop on the Niger, Rt. Rev. Owen Nwokolo, who visited the scene with over thirty senior Anglican priests, described the incident as a great loss, especially now that the common people are going through economic hardship.

“In a civilized world things like these do not happen because the town planning officials should have ensured that filling stations should not be cited near residential areas because the possibility of fire outbreak is always there.

All well-meaning Nigerians should come to the aid of the affected people. It is not enough to tell them ‘sorry’; they need to recover a bit of what they have lost, and that is how to show true love and concern,” he said.

A Peoples Democratic Party chieftain and aspirant, Dr Alex Obiogbolu blamed the state government and the state House of Assembly for neglecting the state Fire Service while over N300 million was budgeted for purchase of cars for the state lawmakers.

“I am sad and bitter. I’m angry. How can a whole state not have functional fire service stations? Why must we always rely on Delta State Fire Service men from Asaba to rescue Anambra people and their property anytime we have fire outbreak?

“Is Asaba Fire Service station that is always responding to our calls not under a government? Why are they always ready to go when there is fire outbreak here, when none of the ones in Anambra State is functioning? Our government must sit up; we cannot be talking about roads alone. There are a lot of things that are neglected,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Governor Obiano has said that the state would consider relocating all the filling stations affected and those located within the residential areas in the state.