Traders count losses as fire guts Port Harcourt market

 A fire broke out at the oil mill market on Aba Road in Port Harcourt on Saturday, destroying goods and property worth millions of naira.

Even though the source of the fire was not discovered right away, it was discovered that it began in the morning while traders were still at home. 

A well-known midweek market, the oil mill market is located in the Rumuokwurusi neighborhood of the state's Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. On Wednesdays, the market draws vendors who bring their goods from neighboring states.

According to an eyewitness, the fire, which began at around 6.45 am, burned for many hours before firefighters arrived.

Some of the impacted company owners bemoaned the effect the fire would have on their operations and appealed to Nyesom Wike, the state governor, for assistance.

A middle-aged woman identified only as Ebere claimed to have been asleep when she first learned of the fire. She stated, 

“This morning, I was still sleeping when I received a call that the market was on fire. When I got there, all my goods and those of others have been destroyed.

"We offloaded a trailer load of yam, garri, and charcoal, all of which burned. Ladies are sobbing because everything they had been using to function has been destroyed.

Another victim, a widow, sobbed hysterically as she claimed she had borrowed money to buy the items in her two burned businesses.

I am a widow; my husband passed away in 2007," she grieved. I still owe interest on the money I borrowed and spent to make my purchases.

"My two stores and all of the yam tubers I purchased have burned to ashes. Who will provide a hand to me? How will I repay the loaned funds?

Commenting on the incident, Rumuokwrushi, O. C. Wosu, Chairman of the Community Development Committee, said that the fire's origin was still a mystery but that he was relieved that no one had been hurt.

I received concerned calls from numerous traders informing me that various areas of the oil mill market were on fire, the man claimed.

I immediately dialed the fire department. As God would have it, the Shell and Total E&P Fire Services arrived and were able to put out the fire.

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