Fire RAZES 200 Shops In Rivers Market

Fire RAZES 200 Shops In Rivers Market

Goods and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed when fire gutted over 200 shops at the Ojoto market in the Mile 2 area of Diobu, Port Harcourt on Thursday night.

The incident happened around 9:15 pm when most of the traders had already closed for the day.

Though the cause of the inferno could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report, eyewitnesses said it was from an electric spark when the public power supply was restored that night.

Some of them also said some people were cooking in the market which may have ignited the fire.

One of the eyewitnesses, a lady who did not want her name mentioned, said, “There was no light that night. So as soon as light came. We saw an electric spark.

“They said some people were cooking inside the market. So, as soon as that electric spark happened, the fire started in that shop. Before you know it, there was fire everywhere. All the shops burned down.”

Following the incident, the area was thrown into confusion as some of the traders in the market who live nearby raced to see if they could salvage some of their goods to no avail.

It was gathered that some residents were seen making frantic calls to family members and friends informing them about the tragic development.