A devastating fire broke out at a section of the bustling Onitsha Market, located in Anambra State, Nigeria.
The affected area, known as “Gbongboro”, serves as a warehouse and a hub for the sale of lace and other textiles. Although the exact cause of the fire remains unknown, it is believed to have started in the early hours of Tuesday. The inferno destroyed merchandise worth millions of naira and sent traders frantically scrambling to save whatever they could salvage. They also urgently called for the fire service to intervene.
An eyewitness noted that, “The fire started at the White House where they sell lace materials. The place was supposed to be a motor park and an emergency exit but the people blocked it with illegal structures through the approval of some government agencies.
“Even when the fire service will come, there might not be entry point where they could enter easily to start battling the fire, even the traders could not enter to salvage their items and this has made the fire to continue to rage.”
At approximately 9:20am, when this report was filed, the state fire chief, Martin Agbili, was unavailable for comment in response to the ongoing fire. It was reported that the fire was still raging at the time. Despite attempts to contact him, his reaction could not be obtained. Meanwhile, the state police spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, was able to provide some information on the situation. Although the details were limited, he confirmed that the situation was being closely monitored and that firefighters and police were on site. Further information would be shared as it became available.
