Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Barely a week after a gas fire explosion rocked a residential property in Mile I Diobu, electrical fire has again destroyed properties and goods worth billions of Naira in Ojoto market, Mile II area of Diobu, Port Harcourt.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire which began from an electric spark in a shop after electricity was restored in the market at about 9:50pm on Thursday night, razed over 200 shops before it was eventually put off by operatives of the federal fire service.
A witness identified as Aniedi, explained that the presence of diesel and other petroleum products that were stored in the market for sale, also fuelled the fire.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Ojoto market, Sir Arinze Akupue, said more than 200 shops were burnt down with traders not able to pick anything from their shops.
Narrating the incident, Akupue, revealed that three of his shops were gutted by the fire and he was not able to bring out anything, and also dismissed the insinuation that people cooking in the market were responsible for the fire.
He called on Rivers State Government to come to their aide and provide succor to the victims of the incident.
“I was in my house at about few minutes to 10pm when security personnel in the market called me on the phone that the market was on fire and flames was coming out of the market.
“Immediately I put a call across to some people around the market to assist to quench the fire, while I hurriedly drove to the Rivers State Fire Service. At the state fire service, they advised me to go to Federal Secretariat to inform the federal fire service, that they in the state fire service cannot assist.
“I drove to the Federal Secretariat where I informed the federal fire service and their Commander approved immediately and they followed me to the scene. On getting to the scene, the market has burned by eighty five percent and hoodlums attacked the personnel of the fire service in order to create an unconducive atmosphere so they can loot.
“It took intervention of the Azikiwe Divisional Police headquarters to rescue the personnel of fire service while the fire completely razed the market,” the market leader explained.
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