Fire razes Owerri Main Market

A section of the Owerri Main Market in Imo state was yesterday gutted by fire. Goods worth millions of naira were destroyed as a result of the inferno.

Badly affected was the Shopping Plaza which housed several fashion and phone shops.

The cause of the fire could not be immediately established, but eye witnesses alleged that it was as a result of electrical fault.

The State fire service responded quickly but they could however not put off the fire as a result of difficulty to gain access to the section of the market due to lack of thoroughfare.

Other victims of the outbreak were mainly dealers on eye glasses, phone accessories and tailoring materials. A trader simply identified as Levi was the worst-hit as all wares in his shop were said to have been completely burnt.

THISDAY reported that policemen and other security outfits cordoned off the Ama JK end of the market, thereby making it impossible for people to gain entrance to the market and apparently to prevent possible looting by hoodlums.

The traders were seen wailing over their goods went up in flames.

A business man who pleaded anonymity pleaded with the state Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha to assuage the living standard of the traders particularly those who have lost their means of livelihood through the fire outbreak.