In the early hours of Wednesday, a devastating fire swept through a section of the renowned Nkpor Main market in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra state, situated near the bustling city of Onitsha.
Reports indicate that the fire, which originated from a cold room shop, rapidly consumed approximately 30 shops before vigilant traders collaborated to extinguish the flames, preempting the arrival of the state fire service.
Chief Paul Okafor, the Chairman of the market, confirmed the incident during a press briefing in his office, disclosing that the estimated value of goods lost in the inferno exceeded N300 million. The affected shops housed diverse products, including paints, curtains, gum, shoe leathers, shoe polish, wines, hot drinks, and thinners.
Expressing concern, Chief Okafor lamented the unresponsiveness of the state fire service despite multiple calls for assistance. He called upon the state government to position firefighting vehicles beneath the flyover bridge at Nkpor Main market to cater to the fire safety needs of the three major markets in the vicinity.
“We call on the state and local governments and public-spirited individuals and groups to come to the aid of the affected traders to bounce back to business as soon as possible. Goods worth over N300 million were damaged in the inferno, and the traders are now counting their losses. This is not good for this Yuletide,” he stated.
In a sympathetic message to the affected traders, Chief Jude Nwank