Goods worth billions of naira were in the early hours of Tuesday destroyed at the Nkwo Nnewi Market, the biggest market in Nnewi, by fire that engulfed a section of the market.
However, what would have resulted to the total razing of the entire market, and loss of goods and shops worth trillions of naira in the market was averted by the intervention of the Chief Medical Director of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital NAUTH, Nnewi, Prof Joseph Ugboaja, who mobilised fire fighters and trucks from NAUTH to battle the inferno.
According to Vanguard report, five fire trucks battled the inferno for five hours before it was finally put off.
The cause of the fire incident is yet to be ascertained, but traders and residents in Nnewi who spoke with newsmen, said the fire incident jolted Nnewi the industrial town of Anambra State, because the Nkwo Nnewi is the biggest market in Nnewi and the spread to other parts or the entire market would have resulted to loss in trillions of naira.
The chairman of the market could not be immediately reached for comments but a trader in the market, who identified himself as Donald Okafor, said the inferno woke the entire Nnewi traders and residents out of sleep.
“The traders were jolted by the fire because they know what they would have lost if it affected other parts of the market, but thank God for the intervention of the CMD of NAUTH who we understand single handedly mobilised fire fighters who managed the inferno and succeeded in putting it off to save other sections of the market.
“It would have been a terrible and devastating news if the fire engulfed all sections of Nkwo Nnewi Market. Goods and shops worth trillions of naira would have been destroyed. The goods already razed worth billions. The fire threatened to wipe out the trillion naira worth of goods market if not for the timely intervention of Prof. Ugboaja-led management of NAUTH, who brought the fire fighting equipment and men.”
Another trader, Okechukwu Okonkwo, said: “While I must commend the efforts of the volunteers who tried their best to extinguish the fire but were overwhelmed by its force, the management of NAUTH should be praised for quickly responding to the distress call for help.
“That section of the market continued burning until Prof Joseph Ugboaja got wind of the dire situation and immediately swung into action with NAUTH fire fighters and their equipment. They showed bravery and Prof. Ugboaja’s youthfulness was put in action.
“We understand that NAUTH since the administration of Prof Ugboaja has maintained a fully equipped and functional firefighting department which showcased their capacity and professionalism today when they were called upon by traders at Nkwo Nnewi Market.
“We must continue to be grateful to NAUTH Management and their fire fighters for saving Nnewi from losing its prized economic heartbeat.”
Last year, NAUTH took delivery of state-of-the-art fire fighting trucks and ambulances.
