Ahead of Christmas, traders lose goods valued at millions of Naira to fire incident

The victims were said to have stocked their shops ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Punch reports that the fire which lasted for several hours, also spread to the Edo Development Property Authority (EDPA), and consumed a section of the high-rise building.

According to PM News, all efforts to put out the rampaging fire led to no avail as it razed the entire market.

An eyewitness who identified himself as Friday John, disclosed that the fire was caused by a power surge when electricity was restored to the area.

One of the shop owners in the market, Grace Edomo, stated she was there when the market went up in flames, but could not state what actually started the fire.

“I was in my shop when I saw flames of fire in the market. My husband and I were inside the shop when he said he wanted to go home; as he was about to go, I looked outside and saw fire in the centre of the market. Unfortunately, there was nobody to help extinguish the fire since when it started,” she told Punch.

Following the fire incident, a group of angry youths took to the street to protest, saying the fire outbreak had destroyed the means of livelihood of many people.

Trouble however started when firefighters from the state fire service arrived the scene late and complained of lack of water and faulty engine to pump water from their tank.

The youths accused the firefighters of neglecting the burning market by diverting attention to the five-storey EPDA building.

Meanwhile, the Edo State Government has commenced investigations into allegations of suspected arson regarding the inferno.

A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, has it that the increased fire incidents in markets around Benin metropolis may bear political connotation.