By Onyekachi Eze
Barely one month after the last fire incident that engulfed millions of goods at the Relief Market Plaza, in the Owerri Municipal Council of Imo State, another catastrophe had struck.
Traders and passers-by were dismayed at the pathetic sight of the heavy inferno that engulfed the shops on Thursday, January 5, 2022.
This left affected shop owners devastated and worried over the repeated scenario.
Feelers have it that the incident may not be unconnected to the purported indiscriminate activities of occupants/managers at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, since it shares boundary with the Line A of the Relief Market Plaza.
Briefing Journalists on the recent development, the Chairman of the Plaza, Mr. Paul Okpara described it as worrisome in the sense that they witnessed similar fire outbreak few weeks ago from same source (the Dan Anyiam Stadium).
Expressing his displeasure, Okpara decried the trauma victims of the fire are passing through, especially in the current state of economic hardship.
He stated that they kept mute on the previous occasions, but had to speak out on the latest, considering the havoc it had created in the plaza and among the victims.
“We don’t really know the root cause of this repeated fire outbreak. Within one month, the plaza had witnessed two, and now this. The worst is that flames emanate from the stadium, and since the wall is our boundary, it automatically extend to the shops. Both Line A and line B are not free. The type of fire that we usually encounter is not even one fire extinguisher can quench. Thank God for the rapid response of the fire fighters, if not, no single pin would have been saved”.
While the Chairman showed signs of disapproval on the construction of the entrance gate attached with shops, which he said was not appropriate, he called on the governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma to intervene.
The State Government was asked to assist the traders in unravelling the remote causes and possible ways of averting further fire incident at the relief market plaza.
Again, Mr. Okpara who thumbed up for Uzodinma’s led administration for being a listening government requested that the relief Plaza road be constructed, as well as helping them to install constant electricity.
Lending his voice, the Secretary of the Relief Market Plaza, Nwokedi Hyacinth Obumneke bemoaned the actors for their recklessness with fire.
He regretted that while some of the shop owners were still in their respective villages for the New year, and others at the comfort of their homes, they had to be greeted with the ugly news of their burnt commodities worth thousands and millions of naira.
He recalled that the three consecutive incidents that befell the plaza all came through the Dan Anyiam Stadium.
Hence, had a suspicion that the actors may have done so deliberately as a witch-hunt against the shop owners.
Mr. Obumneke prayed that culprits be unravelled while permanent solution be imbibed, especially from Stadium Managers/occupants or users.
He leaned his voice to that of his Chairman in drawing the Governor’s attention to their plight.
Chief Emma Nwankwo, a trader at the said Plaza in his own accord added, “We are all victims because anything that affects one, affects all of us. It is the right time a stop to this reoccurring fire is made. Today it’s line A, tomorrow, it might be line B”.
Chief Emma specially gave kudos to the Fire Service operators for their promptness when he placed a call on them that fateful Thursday, adding, “Our saving grace was the proximity of the fire service. Thank God they fought gallantly and quenched the fire”.
It was further learnt that some of the victims have retired at their respective homes since their goods were drastically affected and have no other source of income.
Similarly, palpable fear is said to be the order of the day among the occupants of the relief market plaza since they have been faced with fire outbreaks suspected to be emanating from the stadium, as some now relocate their products at the end of every market day to avert danger.
