Fire guts Nnewi timber market

An Industrialist in Anambra State, Mr. Godwin Ezeemo, cried profusely as fire gut Nnewi timber market.

The inferno, which occurred in the wee hours of Thursday, was so devastating that the entire wares turned to ashes, prompting the industrialist to show pity by donating N.5million to the victims.Ezeemo called on other well-meaning people of the state to rally round the victims of the fire outbreak as it is done in Igbo culture that we will be our brother’s keeper.

He attributed the cause of the fire outbreak to poor infrastructure characterised by the features of the markets and thanked God that no life was lost.

“With the timber market which is a combustible material it gives huge worries why the market of such magnitude in Anambra business life was left unguarded, with bushes surrounding it, no wall to protect the merchandise against any infiltrators.

“I attribute the cause of this fire outbreak to poor infrastructure and management in the market and I urge the market leaders to look inward and oragnise themselves well to avoid future accordance by putting in place necessary causation”. 

Ezeemo said major markets like timber should have fire services stations sited nearby in case of any eventuality  and a guard against  harmattan season and called on the state government to do the needful as the timber market is as important to the economy of  the state as it is to the builders.

He said that traders should do their bits in paying up their revenue and taxes pointing out that after exercising such civic responsibility that the government owes the traders by building solid structures and facilities that would protect their wares “this fire was preventable, is a neglect of responsibility and should be addressed urgently”.

Ezeemo encouraged some of the victims who came around to receive him that included, Mrs.  Anuli Ndukwe, Mr. Chibundu Obi, Sunday Eze and Benjamin Muokwe who could manage to speak to him on how their life time investments were lost to the inferno.

Muokwe said he lost five machines that cost him N4.5 million each even though the current market price, stands for N6 million per machine.

He said he was confused and knew not the direction to go again.

For Mr. Sunday Eze, he said he lost two saw machines valued at N87,000 each and a table for processing that cost him N45,000.

He said he is the bread winner in his family with seven children as his wife had no business doing.