Anambra traders are gnashing their teeth after a fire damaged their items valued over N300 million.
The famed Nkpor Main market in Anambra state’s Idemili North Local Government Area, near the commercial center of Onitsha, has been destroyed by fire.
A part of the market was reportedly impacted by the inferno that happened Wednesday night.
According to reports, the fire had already destroyed approximately 30 businesses before the traders mobilized and managed to extinguish it before the arrival of workers from the state fire department.
Confirming the incident, the chairman of the market, Chief Paul Okafor, said over N300 million worth of goods were damaged in the inferno.
He disclosed that the fire started from a cold room shop and spread to other nearby shops.
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Okafor, whose own wine shop was also gutted, said the fire affected shops loaded with paints, curtains, gum, shoe leathers and polish, wines, hot drinks, thinners, among others.
He lamented that all phone calls put across to the state fire service did not yield positive results as firefighters did not show up until the traders mobilised and put the fire off.
He called on government to station some firefighting vehicles under the flyover bridge at Nkpor main market to serve the three major markets within the vicinity.
He said: “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.
“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.
A patron of Anambra Markets Amalgamated Traders Association and President of Building Materials Traders Association, Chief Jude Nwankwo, expressed his sympathy for the victims and also called on government, individuals and groups to assist them.
He advised market leaders to provide fire extinguishers in their various markets to mitigate the effects of fire particularly at night.
The state fire chief, Martin Agbili did not pick his calls for confirmation.
