Another tragedy befell residents of Calabar metropolis as the tyre section of the popular Bedwell market was gutted by fire, destroying goods worth millions of naira.
Checks by Sunday Sun revealed that about 10 shops including a warehouse loaded with different types and sizes of car tyres were affected by the inferno, just as about five persons were injured while trying to put out the fire.
An eye witness accounts that the fire incident, which started at about 9:00 am yesterday morning razed down the entire shops located along Harcourt Street by Bedwell street axis with a few of the traders able to salvage some of their goods from the raging flame. However, the account could not ascertain the cause of the inferno, but hinted that there was no power supply from the electricity supply company.
But one of the traders, who simply gave his name as Nnaemeka, told our correspondent that one of the generating sets in one of the shops was on, and could have caused some sparks leading to the outbreak of the fire.
Nnaemeka said some of them had complained severally about the poor electrical connections around the Harcourt-Bedwell streets to no avail, adding that he was not surprised at the incident, because according to him, he knew they were sitting on time bomb.
At the scene, there was pandemonium as owners of shops were seen rushing inand out trying to evacuate their goods, while some customers and passers-by were seen scampering for safety.
It was learnt that the fire service men arrived three hours after about 10 shops had been razed down, claiming that they didn’t have a functional vehicle.
It was further learnt that they had to rush Margaret Ekpo International Airport Fire station to get a fire fighting truck to come to the rescue of the traders.
One of the traders, who gave his name as Sunny, said “I was just lucky to remove my tyres before the fire got to my shop. And I can tell you that people have lost millions of naira because most of us just ordered goods for the Christmas and the New Year.”
On what could be the cause of the fire, he said he cannot tell how it started or what led to it. Another victim, Mr. Nkem Onyedilim, said “I am totally gone. I have lost all my life investment to the inferno. Why should such happen to us at this crucial period when some of us bought the tyres on credit?
“This is the beginning of a new life. I appeal to emergency authourities to come to our aid, because I have lost close to N5m to the fire. Besides, my brother also is affected and we don’t know what to do right now.”
When contacted on phone, one of the fire service officers, who doesn’t want his name in print, said,
“Well, we could not go there early enough because we didn’t have the logistics. But we later went there and put out the fire. At least no life was lost. We tried our best.”
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