By Onyinyechi Amakaulo
The “One week, One Fire” incident ravaging Imo State has again commenced this week with a popular plaza in Owerri, the State capital up in flames.
According to eye witness account, the fire which gutted the old stadium Road Plaza started in the early hours of yesterday and razed down the entire building, where people selling phones, wares and other businesses are located.
Trumpeta gathered that the shop owners called for the men of, fire service, to come to their rescue but known single person from the fire service came to stop the burning fire.
The fire fighting vans of the Rescue Mission Government of Governor Anayo Ethelbert Okorocha has failed in its responsibility to protect and save millions of commercial goods that were destroyed to zero level as a result of the inferno which according to information broke out around 6:30am(today Thursday). 20 whole lockup shops on the building were affected, that mostly deal on laptops, computers, accessories, tailoring materials and more. According to an eye witness that pleaded anonymity told newsmen that the incident was caused by an illegal connection of power supply by one of the occupants of the affected shop as a result when EEDC restored the light which caused a power surge leading to the incident. Some of the victims, Mrs Chinwe Nwaobasi who deals on tailoring business narrated her ordeal that she couldn’t bring any item out as they were burnt. Also one Chinonso Nwiru a dealer of phone sets, computers and accessories it was gathered lost everything to the inferno as he was said to have returned from the market the previous day and completely lost his goods estimated at #5million naira. The scene of the incident was pathetic as many of the victims were seen wailing and weeping asking for what the future holds for them as they lost their means of livelihood the reality of the harsh economy in the country, while some of the youths were busy removing the debris of the inferno, whereas some of the ground floor occupants of shops were evacuating their goods for fear of fire spill over. When a telephone call was put across to the govt aide on information to confirm the incident and to obtain govt reaction, he claimed ignorant of any fire incident, but requested to call his colleague on public safety for confirmation as at the time of filling this report.
