A devastating fire has swept through a bustling market near Iweka Road, Onitsha, in Anambra State, leaving traders counting their losses after goods worth millions of naira were reduced to ashes. The fire, which erupted at around 8:30 pm on Tuesday, destroyed several shops in the area, including those selling furniture, leather materials, and foam.
Although the exact cause of the fire remains unknown, eyewitnesses reported that the blaze raged for several minutes before firefighters arrived, and by then, many traders had already left for the night. The inferno was particularly tragic for business owners who arrived the next morning to find their shops decimated.
Nonye, a trader who deals in furniture and leather materials, shared his heartbreak, saying, “Some of us arrived this morning to see that our shops have been reduced to rubble. It’s a huge loss.” He added that due to power failure, he had not received a call informing him of the fire, which left him unable to salvage any of his goods.
Another victim, Uche, a foam dealer, said, “I didn’t get the information until after midnight. By the time I arrived, my shop and several others had been destroyed. It’s a massive loss, and I don’t even know where to begin again.”
The Anambra State Fire Service confirmed the incident, stating that they received a distress call at 9:40 pm and immediately dispatched firefighting teams to the scene. Chukwudi Chiketa, the head of Media and Publicity at the Fire Service, noted that while four shops were severely affected, many others were saved due to the firefighters’ quick response. The blaze, which consumed furniture, foam, and other goods, was brought under control by 3:05 am on Wednesday.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and many traders are left in despair, unsure how to recover from the massive loss. The fire serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by small businesses in the area, many of whom now face an uncertain future.
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