An early morning fire on Christmas Day gutted several shops near the General Post Office at Ibokwu Street, Old Market Road, Onitsha, leaving goods and equipment worth millions of naira in ruins.
Eyewitnesses reported that the fire, which started in one of the shops, spread quickly to nearby stores. Residents and passers-by worked tirelessly to contain the flames and rescue goods as efforts to reach the state fire service proved futile.
Mrs. Chidimma Ike, a house owner near the scene, described how the fire began unexpectedly. “Thick smoke suddenly filled the air, and before we knew it, the flames were spreading rapidly. Despite calling the fire service multiple times, no one came. We had to rely on ourselves to prevent further destruction,” she said.
According to her, most traders and shop owners were absent due to the Christmas holiday, which made the situation even more challenging.
One of the affected shop owners, Mr. Chinedu Nnamdi, recounted his shock at the incident. “I initially thought someone was burning waste until I received a call from neighbors informing me that our shops were on fire,” he said.
Attempts to reach the Anambra State Fire Chief, Mr. Chukwudi Chiketa, for comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
Residents have called on the government to improve the state’s emergency response system to prevent future disasters of this magnitude.
