Fire razes Onitsha bridge-head market

Goods worth millions of naira were on Monday gutted by fire at the yam, hotel, carpentry and foam sections of Bridge-head market, Onitsha, Anambra state.

The fire which lasted for about an hour, affected over 40 shops before it was put off by traders with the help of fire extinguishers.

The destroyed goods included tubers of yam, wooden doors and chairs, assorted sizes of foam, saw machines and many crates of soft drinks.

The cause of the inferno is yet to be ascertained as at press time.

The victims, including Jude Nwufo who lost wooden doors and chairs and Daniel Achu who lost saw machines, appealed to government for financial assistance to enable them bounce back to business.

President-General of Bridge-head Markets Traders Union, Hon. Sunday Obinze while conducting newsmen round the scene, said they suspected electrical fault.

On his part, Secretary of Big Yam Sellers Association, Collins Onwunali, described as enormous the quantum of damages, but thanked God that no life was lost to the inferno.

Meanwhile, authorities of the market have placed ban on use of naked fire by the hoteliers or smoking inside the market, with effect from January 1, 2020.