Many people have cried out for help after a fire incident yesterday destroyed goods worth millions of naira at a popular market in Asaba.
Scene of the fire incident in Asaba
Fire razed shops at the popular “Cable Point Market” in Asaba, Delta State, destroying goods belonging to shop owners. The incident happened yesterday and was caused by an electrical fault.
Punch reports that an eyewitness, Iyabo Mushin, said the fire which gutted the entrance to the building, started around 2am, and it was neighbouring house owners who alerted the authorities to it.
It was gathered that three persons who attempted to put out the fire sustained various degrees of injuries, as the fire was beyond what they could tackle. The injured were taken to a hospital.
An elderly man who witnessed the fire, Mr. Ogbueshi Joseph Nwandu, blamed the fire on poor electrical connection, adding the victims were lucky to have escaped death.
It was gathered that residents of Cable Point Quarters have been apprehensive, following the continuous sparks of cables on the electric poles in the areas whenever there was power supply.
At the scene of the razed market building, traders who had just returned from their market trips cried profusely as they watched helpessly.
One of the security men in the market, Nnamdi Paul, said the fire broke out after a prolonged sparks from the electrical cables’ switch boxes that were connected to the market building.
He said, “We were just doing the rounds when, suddenly, we observed that fire was coming out of the switch boxes connecting the entire market building. We ran for help, but it was to no avail.”
Traders whose shops were razed, one of them, Alhaji Lade Lawal, expressed shock about the incident, saying he had just stocked his shop.
In his reaction, the state Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Chika Ossai, said the situation was was unfortunate, promising that the government would find the cause of the fire and prevent a recurrence.