By Dave Okpogadie, Asaba
The popular Ogbeogonogo market in Asaba, Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State was gutted by a fire which destroyed goods worth millions of naira.
Over 10 shops at the old market were consumed in the early morning inferno which lasted for over five hours Tuesday May 26, before the arrival of the state fire service men.
Many traders who lost their goods in the inferno are yet to come to terms with the reality of losing their sources of livelihood as the fire razed shops and goods along the Nnebisi road.
According to reliable sources, the first state fire service truck that came to rescue the situation ran out of water while the fire was still on. As at 9:26am, the fourth fire service truck arrived while Good Samaritans were fetching water from the gutter to quench the fire but to no avail.
It was reliably gathered that an electrical fault was responsible for the fire while closeness of shops to one another made it impossible for the fire fighters to gain access into the market to battle the fire.
Angry traders who made attempt to lynch a police officer were prevailed upon to halt the act.
Chairman of Oshimili South Local Government Area, Comrade Uche Osadebe and his team were on ground to monitor the situation.
He demanded for the services of an excavator to clear the burnt shops to enable the fire service truck gain access into the market to be able put off the fire completely.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, said the police and personnel of the state fire service were able to manage the situation.
No life was, however, lost in the inferno.
Some traders, whose goods were razed in the inferno and who were visibly dejected, called on the state government not to abandon them to their fate.
They appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to use his good office to rescue them from the situation they have been plunged into by the fire disaster.
Some of them lamented that all they have laboured for had gone with the fire.
Meanwhile, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has promised to help the traders that suffered losses during the fire disaster at the market.
The governor made the promise when he visited the Ogbe-ogonogo market following the fire outbreak in the market.