By Chuks Eke
Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA has condemned early Wednesday morning fire outbreak which ravaged goods worth millions of naira at Afor market, Nnobi in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state.
The fire disaster which broke out at about 7 a.m., reportedly gutted a section of the market which has up to 10 shops
, but no life was lost in the inferno.
The inferno was said to have been caused by cut off high tension cables that fell on top of make-shift structure, (shop), from where it extended to about 10 shops.
Reacting to the development when he stormed the scene of the incident for an. On the spot assessment, President General, PG, of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders’ Association, ASMATA, Chief Humphrey Anuna who noted that although no life was lost to the inferno, ordered that all illegal structures built under the high tension wire in the market be demolished wwith immediate effect.
According to Chief Anuna, “I thank God that no life was lost, I have been here up to five times last year, telling them to dismantle all the illegal structures built under the high tension but to no avail. Today properties and wares running into millions of naira have been lost to the inferno.”
“Look at the park in the market, they have built make-shift structures in it under High tension. That is why I ordered for the demolition of the illegal structures built there,” he stated
Also reacting, the chairman of the market, Chief Maduabuchi Ezeoke, who spoke through the former taskforce chairman of the market, Chief Matthew Ogboluogu Nwaneli, recalled that the traders have severally been warned to stop doing business under the high tension wire.
“This incident it is a lesson to them that building or selling under high tension is a big risk that can result in sudden death. When the ASMATA PG was telling them last year not to build shops under high tension they taught he was only being jealous of their business”.
“He has ordered that all structures built under high tension will be demolished and you can see that some have started to remove them because they have now seen that he is serious. Today shops and wares estimated at millions of naira have been lost to the early morning inferno,” he stated.
