A pre-dawn fire on Friday razed several shops at the Nkwo Enugu-Ukwu Market Square in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, marking the sixth fire incident recorded in the state within one week.
The blaze, which reportedly began around 3am, destroyed provision stores and roofing materials before firefighters arrived at the scene.
One of the affected traders, who asked not to be named, said many shop owners were alerted in the middle of the night but arrived too late to save their goods.
“Some of us were called during the night, but before we got there, the fire had already destroyed properties. The damage is huge,” the shop owner lamented, blaming poor electrical connections for the incident.
According to residents, the fire was triggered by sparks from an electrical surge following the restoration of power in the market.
Confirming the incident, the Head of Media and Publicity of the Anambra State Fire Service, Chukwudi Chiketa, said firefighters were deployed immediately after a distress call came in at 3:43am.
“Firefighters were immediately dispatched to the scene and initiated suppression operations upon arrival,” Chiketa said in a statement.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was triggered by sparks from an electrical appliance as a result of a power surge.”
Chiketa added that the swift response helped prevent a wider disaster.
“The fire was promptly contained, with destruction confined to a single shop. No casualties were recorded,” he noted, adding that operations ended at 4:46am.
He urged traders in the market to carry out urgent electrical inspections in their shops to avoid similar incidents.
“We strongly advise all shop owners and residents to conduct comprehensive electrical checks and to switch off appliances when not in use, especially at closing time,” he warned.
