Massive Fire Guts Shops at Iweka Road, Onitsha
A devastating fire outbreak on Tuesday night at Iweka Road, near Ochanja Market, Onitsha, has left traders counting heavy losses as goods worth millions of naira were reduced to ashes.
The fire, which started around 8:30 pm, spread rapidly, consuming several shops before firefighters could arrive to contain the inferno. Many traders had already locked up their shops for the day, leaving their goods at the mercy of the raging flames.
By Wednesday morning, the scene was filled with distraught shop owners desperately searching through the rubble for anything salvageable. Many lamented the tragic loss, struggling to come to terms with the devastation.
One of the victims, identified as Chinedu, shared his grief: “I deal in furniture and leather materials. I got here this morning to find everything completely gone. My entire investment has turned to ashes. I don’t even know where to begin.”
Another affected trader, Amaka, who sells foam products, said, “I heard about the fire at midnight but couldn’t get here immediately. When I arrived this morning, my shop was gone. Everything I had worked for was destroyed. I am devastated.”
Confirming the incident, the Head of Media and Publicity for the Anambra State Fire Service, Chukwudi Chiketa, stated that the service received a distress call at about 9:40 pm and immediately dispatched firefighters to the scene.
“The Anambra State Fire Service responded swiftly upon receiving a distress call about a fire outbreak at Iweka Road, near Ochanja Market. Our team battled the flames, preventing the fire from spreading further,” Chiketa said.
He further disclosed that four shops in a two-storey building were completely destroyed, while firefighters managed to save other sections of the building. The affected shops mainly housed furniture materials, leather, and foam products.
“The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time. Our firefighters worked tirelessly and eventually withdrew from the scene at about 3:05 am on Wednesday,” he added.
The affected traders are now calling on the government and well-meaning individuals to come to their aid, as they struggle to recover from the unexpected tragedy.
