Edith CHUKU
Again, traders in Rivers State have been thrown into anguish following the devastating fire outbreak that engulfed and burnt to ashes, properties and goods worth millions of naira.
The pathetic fire incident which happened on Thursday night, gutted Azikiwe Market, located at Azikiwe/Ojoto Street, Mile 2 Diobu, Port Harcourt.
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As at the time of filing this report, the cause of the inferno was yet to be ascertained, but report has it that the incident happened after the market had already been shut down for the day.
Apart from the misery brought upon the victims whose goods were destroyed and properties razed down by the fire, some alleged hoodlums made attempts to prevent the fire service from putting out the fire.
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Chairman of the burnt Ojoto Market, Mr. Arinze Akupue explained that the attack by the supposed hoodlums on the personnel of the fire service was in order to create an unconducive atmosphere to enable them loot victims’ properties.
In an interview, Akupue said “the market was engulfed with fire, and nothing was removed from the market. Actually what really happened, the cause of the fire has nothing to do with somebody cooking, or whatever.
“The market is shut down, all the traders had gone home, the security man just called me that they are seeing some flame of fire, in the market and I asked him which of the area, and he told me; immediately I started calling persons around.
“I drove down to park where we have the Rivers State Fire service, they told me they cannot do anything; in fact they are the people that directed me to Federal Secretariat, Federal Fire Service and I drove immediately from there.
“I was so disappointed, that they could not respond to the call and I drove down to Federal Secretariat where they gave me attention. I must commend them for that, the Federal Fire Service at the Federal Secretariat, Rumuola.
“I begged them fire, fire, the market is going down, by then, the market is already 65 per cent down. So immediately, they called their boss, one Mr. Abas, and the man was kind enough to approve immediately and told them to dress up and called one of their stations, their vehicle in INEC office to join me immediately to approach the market, so as I was going there, I called the DPO of Ilabauchi Divisional Police Station, and the station officer and they responded also.
“As I was speaking, the market was already 85 per cent down, so we were hopeless, as I even speak to you, three of my shops were totally down. I didn’t pick out anything from those shops worth millions of naira.”
