Traders Count Losses As Fire Guts Head Bridge Market In Onitsha

A midnight fire in the early hours of Saturday gutted parts of the Plumbing Material Section of Head Bridge Market, near the Ogbo-Ogwu Medicine Market.

Naija News reports that the incident, which occurred in Onitsha, a major commercial hub in Anambra State, destroyed goods worth millions of naira, affecting several shops, although the exact number remains unclear.

The market, located along the busy Onitsha-Awka Expressway near the River Niger Bridge, was thrown into chaos as traders and residents struggled to contain the fire before the arrival of firefighters.

Eyewitnesses told The PUNCH that the blaze started at about 11:55pm on Friday, spreading rapidly across sections of the market.

Some victims were seen wailing as they watched their goods go up in flames, lamenting that the losses represented investments built over decades.

Sources in the market told newsmen that the fire raged for several minutes before operatives of the state fire service arrived and brought it under control, preventing further destruction.

“The fire started at almost 12 midnight, the security men at the market alerted officials and traders, but before they could rush to the market, the fire had burnt a substantial part of the market.

“As we speak now, some of the affected shop owners are still packing some of their burnt items and examining the extent of damage. The exact cause of the fire could not be immediately determined, but a power surge is suspected,” an eyewitness said.

Although no lives were lost in the incident, the cause of the fire had yet to be officially determined as of the time of filing this report.

However, traders and eyewitnesses suspect that a power surge may have triggered the inferno.

Reacting to the incident via a WhatsApp statement on Saturday, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the market, Chinedu Ezekwike, confirmed the outbreak and commended the swift response of emergency officials.

“There was a serious fire outbreak last night at Head Bridge Market, Onitsha by the Plumbing Material Section, when we contacted the Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area around 12 midnight, he responded immediately and contacted fire service personnel and they came in numbers and quelled the fire,” he said.

He also appreciated the efforts of stakeholders who contributed to controlling the situation.

“Special thanks to the Chairman of plumbing material, who left his house in Asaba around 12:15am to control the situation at his domain.

“As the President General of the market, I want to use this medium to thank all those who contributed in one way or another to make sure that the fire was quenched last night,” he added.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the state fire service regarding the incident.