N200 Million Worth Of Goods Gutted In Ose-Okwuodu Onitsha Fire Disaster , As Obiano Condoles

Wailing and  tears best described the mood at Ose-Ekwodu multi-million naira market, Onitsha where goods estimated to worth over N200 Million were yesterday gutted by a mysterious fire.

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.

Men of the fire service from both the nearby Onitsha main market and Okpoko, frantic efforts brought the inferno under control after goods worth several millions of naira had been razed down.

     

                 

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 them.

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 flaming up and smoldering in some of the burnt spots.

The distraught Chairman of the market, Sunday Ewulu confirmed the incident to newsmen at the scene, even as he 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 as well as Igbo Igala speaking section.

                
Ewulu commended the efforts of some vigilante operatives attached to the market who were able to secure some goods. He 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.

Contributing, the President of Anambra Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, AMATAS, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo who also visited the market, expressed sympathy for the victims and specifically called on Governor Willie Obiano to visit the scene and assist the victims in terms of rebuilding the shops and for them traders and giving them funds to return to their businesses.

He called on the state government to provide firefighting equipment in all the markets to forestall future occurrence, adding that government should set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the cause of the incident.

He disclosed further that AMATAS would soon commence an enlightenment campaign on the need for the traders to take up insurance policies so that in the event of such an incident, the victims would be compensated by insurance companies.

Meanwhile the governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has consoled the traders in the Ogboji Area of Ose-Okwodu Market in Onitsha whose shops were consumed in an early morning blaze that engulfed the market.

Describing the incident as “unfortunate,” Chief Obiano regretted the fact that the inferno struck at a time when his administration was striving to lay down the economic fundamentals of the state through his increasingly popular Anambra Wheels of Development which rests firmly on Trade and Commerce, Agriculture, Industrialization and Oil and Gas.

A statement by the Senior Special Adviser ,Media , James Eze said the Governor assured the affected traders that efforts were being made to ascertain the actual cause of the fire outbreak in order to forestall a future occurrence.

Obiano said: “Let me also assure you that my administration is determined to change the face of trade and commerce in Anambra State. We shall remodel existing markets to be able to resist the horror of persistent fire outbreaks. We are already building modern shopping malls in Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka that will deliver a more wholesome shopping experience than what we currently have in Anambra State,” the governor explained.

He also assured the traders that his thoughts and prayers were with them at this moment of great financial loss.

He appealed to the State Government and State Emergency Agency to come to the aid of the affected victims as they have no means of livelihood.

Reacting on the incident, the Chairman Onitsha North Local Government Area Dr. Douglas Nwachukwu Egbuna who also visited the scene at the early hours of the day described the incident as unfortunate and called on affected traders to be calm as they will follow the due process of investigation as to ascertain the cause.

Meanwhile some of the affected traders Mrs. Theresa Okoye, Josephine Nnebuife, Peter Okonkwo lamented on their losses and appealed to the State Government, wealthy individual and philanthropist to come to their aid.

Pictures: some of the effected areas at Ose- Okwodo in Onitsha , Anambra State where Fire incidents happens yesterday