The Ose-Ekwodu multi-million naira market, Onitsha in Anambra State was on Saturday gutted by fire, destroying goods estimated at well over N200 million.
The early Saturday morning inferno started from Zone 3 section of Marine Road Ose Okwuodu Market at about 3.30 a.m. destroying no fewer than 300 shops.
Sources told our correspondent that men of the fire service from both the nearby Onitsha main market and Okpoko’s frantic efforts brought the inferno under control after goods worth several millions of naira had been razed.
Thousands of traders were at the scene of the incident located at the bank of the River Niger, known by the traders as Zone 3, Marine Road, Ose Ekwodu, weeping and crying while many came to condole with them when our correspondent visited the scene of the fire incident.
The debris of the perished goods, including roasted yams and burnt pieces of zinc and planks were seen littering the ground, while smokes were still smoldering in some of the burnt spots.
The distraught Chairman of the market, Sunday Ewulu confirmed the incident to newsmen at the scene and listed some of the burnt items to include tailoring materials, fishing materials, second hand clothing, lace, sewing machines, tubers of yam, bags of rice and drums of local gin.
Tailoring Material Line, Fishing Material, Local Gin, Second hand cloths and material, bags of Rice and Yams section of the market and Igbo Igala speaking section were also destroyed during the incident.
Ewulu commended the efforts of some vigilante operatives attached to the market who were able to secure some goods but called on the state government, public spirited individuals and groups to come to the rescue of the traders whose source livelihood have been terminated by the inferno.
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