Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Traders at Isigate Umuahia, Abia State capital, whose shops and warehouses were affected in the early Sunday mystery fire that razed the entire building housing their shops are yet to recover from the trauma of the tragedy.
The cause of the fire disaster which started around 2am Sunday, is yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.
Although no human casualties were recorded, traders whose wares were affected may not recover any time soon unless urgent intervention or succour comes their way.
Some of the victims who spoke with Ikengaonline said they had lost all their life savings, and were shattered without any hope of how to move on with life.
One of the affected traders, Mr Onyeka Nwokoro, a major cosmetics dealer in Umuahia whose shop was stocked to the brim before the incident, said he was yet to believe the fire disaster was real.
He said the cause of the mystery fire was still a puzzle since there was no public power supply to the building, nor any resident except a security guard.
The father of four from Oba in Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State, said all his efforts for 30 years had been lost in one day.
Nwokoro who said he lost goods worth over N20 million in the inferno lamented that his major pain was how to repay Distributors who supplied some of the goods to him on credit.
“My life has been completely shattered. All my efforts since the past 30 years I have been in business are gone!
“I had some challenges where I was staying before, and relocated to this place less than two years ago. I almost died on Sunday when I came here and saw that my efforts are now ashes. Where does starting come from? Goods supplied to me on credit were all consumed by fire, and my shop was stocked to the brim,” he agonised.
Nwokoro who said the affected traders had met with the Mayor of Umuahia North Local Government Area, as well as the Chief of Staff to Gov. Alex Otti, appealed for urgent assistance both from Government and public spirited individuals to enable them get back to business.
“We have met with the Mayor who asked us to list what we lost, and we have also met with the Chief of Staff to the Governor. We have another meeting with him today (Thursday). We need help to begin life afresh.”
His neighbour, Chief Simon Osuji, a major beans and rice merchant in Umuahia whose trucks of beans from the North are offloaded almost on weekly basis, said the fire disaster had returned him to “square one.”
The food stuff merchant who said he just offloaded his goods on the eve of the disaster (Saturday night), lamented that hundreds of bags of beans and rice were lost to the fire.
“On Thursday I offloaded 70 bags of beans -150kg plus 50 bags of 50kg rice; on Saturday, I also offloaded another 50 bags of 150kg beans besides our old stocks including maize, Soya beans and others. Everything was leaked up by the fire!
The Ikeduru, Imo State-born trader who said he had traded at the building which also serves as his warehouse for 40 years, disclosed that he incurred about N35 million loss in the disaster.
He also pleaded for assistance to enable the victims return to business.
It was a similar tale of woes by Elder Ubadire Amanambu, owner of Ubatex Electricals, whose electrical workshop housed in the building was destroyed together with various electrical appliances and accessories worth millions of naira.
The 72-year-old from Umuyota in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, said he lost over N30 million to the disaster.
He said the weight of the loss was too heavy on him.
“I sell rewinding materials, copa wires and accessories. I rewind generating sets, electric motors, fans and other gadgets.
“I have been here for 40 years. Everything in my shop was gone. I still don’t believe it happened!”
Another food stuff dealer, Mrs Mary Christopher, said she lost goods worth millions of naira as her husband returned from a business trip from the North a day before the incident occured.
“My husband just returned from business trip on Saturday before this incident happened early Sunday morning.”
The 45-year-old mother of six said the family was totally destabilised by the incident, disclosing they lost over N10 million.
“My husband offloaded 50 100kg bags of rice, and 120 bags of rice before this happened. Night has befallen us in a broad daylight,” she lamented.
Narrating his ordeals also, another cosmetics dealer, Mr Innocent Abangwa from Isiala Ngwa North LGA, said he lost over N3.5 million to the disaster.
“I deal in cosmetics, haircare products and make-ups. My goods were leaked by the fire like fuel. Now, I’m still in shock of what happened.”
He begged the state Government to come to their rescue.
Mrs Patricia Imoh, 62, and a dealer on plastics was also heavily affected by the disaster.
“I lost almost N12 million here. I sell plastic drums, kitchen utensils and assorted goods. The fire started around 2am but my shop was still burning till around 5am when the Fire Service people came.”
Another victim, Eloy Esther Chinemerem, a dealer on articles said the fire disaster had unleashed sorrow to the family.
She said she was yet to recover from the shock of the incident, while appealing for Government intervention.
When contacted, Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said the victims reported to the Home Security boss, and not the Chief of Staff to the Governor.
He, however, added that investigation was on going to first establish the cause of the fire before Government would determine what step to take.
“If they said they told Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff is not aware. He told me so last night. The Head of Homeland Security is aware. He said the incident was reported late. The issue of compensation does not arise for now. Government will first know the cause of the fire before apportioning blame or now know whether or not anybody will be compensated.”
