XMASS TRAGEDY: FIRE GUTS SHOPS IN ONITSHA MARKET
TRAGEDY struck Iboku Street in Onitsha in the early hours of Wednesday, December 25, 2024 as fire razed down several shops near the General Post Office on Ibokwu Street, by Old Market Road, Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra State.
According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the inferno destroyed goods, property, and equipment worth millions of naira.
Mrs Chidimma Ike, an eyewitness and a homeowner in one of the affected buildings, said the fire originated from one of the shops.
She recounted: “The fire started from one of the shops early this morning. We suddenly noticed thick smoke, and before we understood what was happening, the fire began to spread rapidly.
“Most of the traders and shop owners were not at their businesses today, as many were at home for Christmas.
“As the fire raged, several calls were made to the fire service, but it was residents and passersby who mobilised to rescue goods and battle the fire for several hours.”
One of the affected shop owners, Mr Chinedu Nnamdi, who also resides in the area, said he initially saw the smoke from a distance and assumed it was from someone burning waste, as the shops were closed for the Christmas holiday.
“I was not aware that the smoke was from a fire engulfing our shops until I received a call from my neighbours about the incident,” Nnamdi said
