A massive fire broke out on Tuesday night, gutting a two-storey commercial building along Iweka Road, near Ochanja Main Market in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Confirming the incident, the Chief Fire Officer of the Anambra Fire Service, Chukwudi Chiketa, said the distress call came in at about 9:35 p.m., prompting an immediate response from firefighters.
“We cannot confirm the exact cause of the fire yet, but our team responded swiftly,” Chiketa stated. “The inferno affected four shops filled with furniture materials such as leather and foam, but we managed to prevent it from spreading further.”
Firefighters battled the raging flames for hours before finally withdrawing from the scene at around 3:05 a.m. on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, shop owners and sympathizers were seen rummaging through the charred remains, desperately trying to salvage whatever was left of their goods.
Authorities are yet to determine the cause of the fire, but investigations are expected to follow.
