Goods worth
millions of naira were on Monday gutted by fire at the yam, hotel, carpentry
and foam sections of Bridge-head market, Onitsha, Anambra state.
The fire
which lasted for about an hour, affected over 40 shops before it was put off by
traders with the help of fire extinguishers.
The
destroyed goods included tubers of yam, wooden doors and chairs, assorted sizes
of foam, saw machines and many crates of soft drinks.
The cause of
the inferno is yet to be ascertained as at press time.
President-General
of Bridge-head Markets Traders Union, Hon. Sunday Obinze while conducting
newsmen round the scene, said they suspected electrical fault.
On his part,
Secretary of Big Yam Sellers Association, Collins Onwunali, described as
enormous the quantum of damages, but thanked God that no life was lost to the
inferno.
Meanwhile,
authorities of the market have placed ban on use of naked fire by the hoteliers
or smoking inside the market, with effect from January 1, 2020.
