Ogona Anita
Shop owners at the popular Oil Mill market in Porthacourt are counting their losses, following the fire outbreak that engulfed the market at the early hours of Saturday.
Some of the traders who spoke to our Correspondent lamented their ordeal calling on relevant authorities to come to their aid.
A widow, who cried uncontrollably, saying she borrowed money to purchase the goods in her two shops, which were burnt.
She lamented, “I am a widow, my husband died in 2007. I borrowed the money that I used in buying things and I am still paying interest.
“My two shops and all the tubers of yam I bought have burnt to ashes. Who is going to help me? How do I pay back the money I borrowed?”
Another victim, a middle-aged woman, madam Ebere, said she was still asleep when she heard about the fire.
A trailer load of yam, Garri and charcoal which we offloaded all burnt. Women are crying because all they have been using to manage have been lost.
Speaking on the incident, Chairman, Community Development Committee, Rumuokwrushi, O. C Wosu, said the cause of the fire was still unknown, even as he expressed happiness that no life was lost.
He said, “I got distressed calls from many traders calling me that some sections of the oil mill market were on fire .
An eyewitness said the fire, which started at about 6.45am, raged for many hours before fire-fighters arrived the scene.
Source: Awajisblog
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