An early morning fire near the General Post Office on Ibokwu Street, Old Market Road, Onitsha, Anambra State, resulted in the destruction of goods and properties worth millions of naira. The fire broke out around 9 AM on Wednesday while shop owners were celebrating Christmas at home.
Witnesses reported that residents and passers-by quickly intervened to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby structures. The affected area included attachment buildings and makeshift structures used by traders at the General Post Office, which had reportedly been sold to a businessman.
Many victims were seen attempting to salvage their half-burnt goods, while others, unable to recover anything, were left in tears. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but eyewitnesses speculated that it may have been due to a power surge.
Chidimma Ike, a local resident, described seeing thick smoke emerging from one of the shops before the fire spread. Despite several calls to the state fire service, no firefighters arrived, and it was the efforts of residents and passers-by that ultimately contained the blaze.
Ike recounted, “The fire started around 9 AM, and we observed thick smoke before it suddenly escalated. Most traders were not present as they were celebrating Christmas.”
Shop owner Chinedu Nnamdi, who saw the smoke from a distance, initially believed it was waste being burned. He was alerted by neighbors to the fire engulfing his shop. Nnamdi noted that valuable equipment, including D I machines worth over N2 million each, along with fridges, generators, and computers, were lost in the fire.
“The items burned quickly due to their highly flammable nature. Most traders arrived too late to save anything, and while no lives were lost, the damage amounts to several millions of naira,” he said.
