A total of 25 shops at the popular New Benin Market in Benin City were on Sunday night razed by fire whose cause is yet to be ascertained.
Goods and property worth millions of naira were lost to the inferno even as thieves who posed as sympathizers made away with some goods.
It was gathered that the fire started at about 7:25pm and lasted for about two hours before men of the Edo Fire Service stopped it from spreading to other shops.
Witnesses said the fire began from a shop where food items such as rice, beans and beverages are sold.
Many of the affected traders were called from their various residences that their shops were on fire.
One of the traders was said to have collapsed when he saw that his shop and the N2m cash he kept inside from previous sales were consumed by the fire.
Another victim who simply gave his name as Samuel Ijezie said he lost his entire wares to the evil fire.
“I was somewhere close to the market to buy something. I saw people gathering around here; I don’t come to market on Sunday but because of the gathering I rushed to the area to see what was happening only to see it was fire but before I could come down fire had taken over everywhere. I didn’t save anything; millions of naira wasted here. I lost more than two million to the fire; I did not bring anything out. The fire was everywhere even my generator I did not bring out anything.”
Mr. Chukwudi Anisieke said his warehouse was stockpiled with assorted goods worth N7m on Saturday night.
He disclosed that he had returned from market on Saturday and stocked his shop with goods at about 8pm same day.
“The entire thing got me tired. I am totally confused. I was at home yesterday evening when people called me on phone that New Benin market was burning. Before I reached here everywhere had caught fire and I could not pick out a single thing from my shop. I lost more than N7million to the fire,” he said.
