Onitsha Christmas Day incident, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, destroyed goods, property, and equipment worth millions of naira, leaving traders and shop owners reeling from the loss.
Tragedy struck the bustling city of Onitsha in Anambra State on Christmas Day when a devastating fire destroyed several shops near the General Post Office at Ibokwu Street, Old Market Road. According to Mrs. Chidimma Ike, a resident and property owner near the affected area, the fire began in one of the shops before spreading rapidly to others.
“We saw thick flames and immediately took action,” she recounted. Along with passers-by, residents worked tirelessly to extinguish the fire and salvage as many goods as possible. Despite their efforts, the destruction was extensive.
Goods Destroyed as Fire Guts Shops in Onitsha on Christmas Day
Mrs. Ike expressed frustration over the absence of the state fire service, stating that numerous calls were made to no avail. “We fought the fire ourselves for hours to prevent it from spreading to neighbouring buildings,” she said.
Her account highlights the challenges faced by the community in containing such disasters without adequate emergency response. One of the shop owners, Mr. Chinedu Nnamdi, shared his experience of the tragic incident.
He explained that he initially mistook the smoke for someone burning waste, given that most businesses were closed for the Christmas celebration. It wasn’t until he received a distress call from his neighbours that he realized the gravity of the situation.
“By the time I arrived, it was too late to save much,” Mr. Nnamdi lamented, adding that he lost valuable goods and equipment to the blaze. However, the absence of a prompt fire service response has raised concerns about the readiness and efficiency of emergency services in the state.
Equipment and goods worth millions were destroyed in a fire outbreak on Wednesday morning at Ibokwu Street, near Old Market Road, Onitsha, Anambra State.
The fire, which reportedly started around 9:15 am while shop owners were at home celebrating Christmas, was prevented from spreading to nearby houses and shops by the efforts of well-meaning individuals, as no fire service officials responded to calls for help.
The affected shops were attached buildings at the former General Post Office in Onitsha, which had been sold to a businessman from Anambra State. The new owner had evicted artisans, booksellers, and lawyers who previously occupied the building and its premises.
Items destroyed in the fire included D.I. machines valued at over N2 million each, refrigerators, generators, computers, printing machines, stationery, and other work equipment used by various artisans. The cause of the fire was unknown at the time of this report.
Eyewitnesses who helped contain the blaze speculated that it might have been caused by an electrical spark. This incident brings about the urgent need for improved fire safety measures and emergency preparedness in commercial hubs like Onitsha.
Many residents and business owners have called for better-equipped fire stations and faster response times to mitigate the impact of such disasters. As the affected traders and shop owners begin to assess their losses, the community is rallying together to provide support. However, the road to recovery will undoubtedly be long and challenging, especially for those who lost their livelihoods in the incident.
