A late-night fire has gutted a market along the popular Iweka Road near Ochanja Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, destroying shops and goods worth millions of naira.
The fire, which broke out around 8:30 pm on Tuesday, engulfed shops dealing in furniture materials, including leather and foam products.
The exact cause of the fire remains unknown, but reports indicate it burned for several minutes before firefighters arrived, as most traders had already closed for the day.
Residents and sympathizers were seen attempting to salvage whatever remained from the affected shops, urging traders to return to assess the damage.
Confirming the incident on Wednesday, Anambra State Fire Service spokesperson Chukwudi Chiketa said the agency received a distress call at 9:40 pm and promptly deployed a firefighting crew to contain the blaze and prevent further spread.
While the fire has been extinguished, affected traders are now left to count their losses as investigations continue into the cause of the incident.
