By Sampson Boroh
Shops and goods worth millions of naira were destroyed in the early hours of Thursday as fire razed parts of the popular Opolo Furniture Market near the former NEPA office in Opolo, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Residents told our correspondent that the inferno broke out around 4:00 a.m. while most people in the area were still asleep.
Although the exact cause of the fire had yet to be officially determined as of press time, sources within the market alleged that a security guard may have burned some materials overnight to repel mosquitoes, which could have sparked the blaze.
Mr. Agbedo Matthew, a caretaker in one of the affected shops, said he received a distress call at about 4:00 a.m. and rushed to the scene, only to meet widespread destruction.
He disclosed that officials of the Bayelsa State Fire Service arrived around 6:00 a.m., approximately two hours after the fire started, and battled to bring the situation under control.
A resident, Mrs. Choice Williams, said the blaze began at dawn and quickly engulfed makeshift structures before firefighters arrived.
“It’s quite a pity. The property owners have lost so much. Most of them are yet to come and see the level of damage. I hope government can assist the property owners and businessmen who have lost their sources of livelihood to the inferno,” she said.
Also speaking, a furniture designer, Mr. Agbedo Jude, whose shop was completely razed, lamented that nothing was salvageable when he arrived after receiving the distress call.
“Everything I laboured for years in this business has gone within one night of fire incident. I’m empty now, not knowing where to start from,” he said.
“At the close of business yesterday, my goods were intact, but I just woke up this morning to realise everything in my shop worth millions has gone. I have nowhere to go, but I believe God will surely show the way.
“That is why I plead with the government to come to our aid and help us get started again. Times are hard, the economy is bad for this kind of loss,” he added.
Another resident, Mr. Nwafor Obinna, said he was alerted by screams at about 4:00 a.m. and rushed outside to find several shops engulfed in flames. He said residents made frantic efforts to contain the fire using buckets of water before the arrival of firefighters.
As of the time of filing this report, no casualties had been recorded. However, the police authorities in Bayelsa State were yet to issue an official statement on the incident. Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Muhammad, proved abortive as calls and messages sent to him were not responded to.
Though no lives were lost, the incident left traders counting heavy losses, with property worth millions of naira reduced to ashes.
