A midnight fire had razed 8 shops and burnt three vehicles in Fegge area of Onitsha along Okigwe road in Anambra State. The fire was said to have started around 1am on Monday morning, May 23, 2016.
The fire was said to have left a shock behind as it consumed the shops without leaving anything for the shop owners.
Eye witnesses told journalists that the fire licked all the materials in the shop of a motor mechanic in the area, even the vehicle that was brought to his shop for repair was not left out in the rage.
The fire gained much ground due to the time of the night as many of the Onitsha traders might have gone to sleep at that time of the night, hence it was a free ride for the fire. Even those who live close by could not prevent the fire from its mission.
Another witness said the vehicle parts he kept in his shop for repair were not spared in the rage.
It was learned that an electrical fault in one of the shops may have caused the fire.
A resident, one Rex Wilson Ayaoha, told journalists who swung to the scene that the sound of the fire woke them up from sleep.
He said “As soon as we woke up, we contacted fire-fighters around. We called the fire service station at the Onitsha Main Market, their phones rang but they did not pick. Thereafter, we went to their office but they gave flimsy excuses and did not show up.
“We thereafter called Okpoko fire service station, and they responded without wasting time. They arrived at the scene and quenched the fire from moving to other houses around. If not for their intervention, a lot of houses in Zik Avenue would have been affected”.
Patrick Paddy Aniunoh, who represents the area in the state house of assembly, who immediately rushed from Awka on hearing of the fire disaster, assured of reaching the appropriate authority and ensure no further damage is recorded.
