Afam Aminu Chimezie, Onitsha
A fire outbreak of unprecedented dimension last Wednesday shook the entire commercial town of Onitsha when an oil- laden tanker lost its control and rammed against a hospital fence, Toronto Hospital located along the Upper Iweka area of Enugu-Onitsha Expressway with its contents spilling through the gutter to Ochanja Central Market located in the heart of the town.
It was gathered that the fire outbreak was as a result of the fuel spillage which ran through the gutter and immediately sparked fire which engulfed several shops located in some Plazas around Zik Avenue area of Ochanja Central Market.
It was also gathered that a middle-aged woman and her child lost their lives during the inferno. Three young men were also reported to have lost their lives while attempting to remove their wares from their shops in the new Plazas located opposite Ochanja Central Market.
Unfortunately, it took the fire fighters from Asaba Fire Service Station about one hour thirty minutes to reach the scene of the incident as Onitsha Main Market Fire Service that was contacted immediately the fire broke out complained of inadequate equipment and shortage of water to tackle the inferno.
An official who did not want his name on print told our correspondent that they were merely existing as fire fighters without adequate provision of necessary equipment to tackle such emergency.
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He noted that even the vehicle used for fire fighting has a broken head lamp and there was no resources to effect a repair, including fuelling of their vehicles.
However, when Asaba fire fighters arrived the scene about one hour thirty minutes later, after the inferno had destroyed properties worth several millions of naira, they were chased away by angry residents who attacked them with stones and oranges.
Most affected by the inferno were shop owners in some Plazas located along Zik Avenue area of Ochanja Central Market. Smoke of fire was sighted from various locations billowing into the air. When our correspondent visited the area at about 3.30 p.m. on the fateful day, traders in Ochanja market and other shop owners at the adjoining streets of Emodi and Amobi streets, including some electronics dealers at Iweka Road electronics market were seen removing their wares for safety, while the market was deserted with traders and sympathizers scampering for safety to nearby streets of Oraukwu, Ukpor, Ofili, Ziks Avenue ,all in Fegge area of the town.
It was, however, gathered that soldiers from 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha and Navy personnel from Ogbaru Naval Outpost worked through the evening to avert a total breakdown of law and order as hoodlums who hovered around the scene was prevented from taking advantage of the unfortunate situation to loot people’s shops.
Angry residents also went on rampage destroying windscreens of vehicles and commercial tricycles, cursing the government of Governor Willie Obiano for his insensitivity to the plight of the people, especially the delay encountered by fire-fighters in putting -off the raging fire which was said to have started from about 1:30pm till 4pm in the evening of same day. Policemen were later sighted in company of other security operatives who shot sporadically into the air to scare away hoodlums who were already positioned to take advantage of the ugly situation.
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Mr. Egbuna Ononye, an eye witness said the incident should have been contained if actually government was sensitive to the plight of the citizens. He lamented that it was unfortunate that outbreak of fire that started at about 1:30pm did not witness any positive reaction from fire-fighters around and extolled the quick response of Asaba fire-service officials who were chased away by angry mob for their delay in arriving the scene on time.
Mr. Christian Onunwa and Chike Ezumezu complained bitterly of losing their wares in the inferno which they said were their only source of livelihood. They blamed the Anambra State Government and the state fire service officials for negligence of duty.
For Mr. Christian Onunwa, he narrated that his family relocated to the Eastern part of the country from Borno State because of Boko Haram insurgency to start off a new business, but lamented that six months after establishing a business of dealing on mattresses all have gone within minutes.
He further noted that a part of the money used in establishing the business were contributions from friends and family members. In an emotional laden voice, the victim cursed the day he established the business at Ochanja area of the town and blamed the state government for not providing the state fire service with necessary equipment to enable it perform optimally.
Another bizarre experience was a man who was said to have been consumed by the inferno shortly after rushing back to his shop to remove a five million naira cash being sales for the day after initially escaping from the inferno, but was caught-up by the raging flames. The victim was said to be burnt beyond recognition together with the cash.
