At least one person has been confirmed dead, following Saturday’s fire that gutted the Mgbuka Obosi Spare Parts Market in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), however, learnt that the deceased, identified simply as G.O.D and Chairman of Zone 11 in the market, did not die in the inferno.
He was said to have slumped in the market “after seeing that his five shops were completely destroyed by the fire.”
He was reportedly rushed to a private hospital in the area but was said to have died later.
It was gathered that the fire, which destroyed goods valued at millions of naira, started at about 1:30 am.
Mr Edwin Okadigbo, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Anambra command, confirmed the incident to NAN in Awka.
Okadigbo, an Assistant Superintendent, said that nobody died in the fire because it occurred in the night, when traders had all retired to their homes.
He said: “No life was lost in the fire, but the chairman of Zone 11, one Mr G.O.D, slumped after seeing his five shops razed down by the fire.
“He was rushed to the hospital but later gave up the ghost.”
He said that the fire destroyed so many shops and goods because of the highly inflammable nature of the goods sold in the market.
The NSCDC spokesman said that the fire was put out by men of the Anambra State Fire Service, assisted by operatives of other sister-security agencies.
He said that the cause of the fire had yet to be ascertained but suspected it could either come from electrical fault or wildfire from the neighbourhood.
Meanwhile, the state Commandant of the corps, Mr David Bille, has expressed his condolences to the leadership of the market and traders, who lost their goods and other valuables, as well as the bereaved family.
