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Oba Market Fire: Contradicting Reactions Over Edo Fire Service Response

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Traders at the renowned Benin Monarch market ‘Oba Market’ has reacted furiously to the fire disaster that happened on Monday morning.

Naija News had reported earlier that an inferno on the early hour of Monday has razed down shops at the market, causing lost of valuable goods and properties at the watch of residents as the fire became uncontrollable.

According to reports, the market which is just a stone throw from the palace of the Oba of Benin Kingdom engulfed with fire around 6 am and all efforts to put off the fire proved abortive as the State Fire Service said they had no water and fuel at their disposal.

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“Oga, you can see everything by yourself. When the fire started, we called the fire service. All they could say was that there was no water and fuel to come and help,” said an eye witness who pleaded anonymity while responding to an interview.

“Oga, see Oba market, see fire service office here; just behind this building, and they said they don’t have water and fuel. You can imagine,” he lamented.

On her part, the state woman leader, Madam Blackky Ogiamien expressed her shock from the distress call she received over the occurrence on the wake of Monday.

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Contrary to the report that the firemen complained of having water and fuel in their trucks, Ogiamien said, “I received a call from one of my members saying Oba market was on fire around 1 am to 2 am. I quickly rushed down from my house at Dumez road and thank God for the firemen from the Government House, else the whole market would have been burnt down.” 

“Since the closure of markets in Benin, we have not had any fire incident, the government just reopen this market and see what is happening. We are still thinking of what can be done concerning that of Ekiosa that happened last year and this one has happened, making the whole thing more worrisome,” she added.

Previously, Karibo Samson, Assistant ‎Controller, Federal Fire Service, Asaba, had revealed that the service was able to put out the inferno at about 6 am when the incident was reported.

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He added that the fire was put off with the help of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) Fire Service and Air Force Fire Service.

Naija News understands that the fire incident in Edo was coming a week after a fire incident razed five houses and 24 shops at Obanla area, Akure, Ondo State.