Bayelsa: Traders count losses as fire guts furniture market

An early morning fire outbreak has razed Opolo Furniture Market in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, destroying property worth millions of naira. Although the cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained, residents told journalists that the inferno began around 4:00 a.m. on Thursday while most people in the area were still asleep. The […]

An early morning fire outbreak has razed Opolo Furniture Market in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, destroying property worth millions of naira.

Although the cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained, residents told journalists that the inferno began around 4:00 a.m. on Thursday while most people in the area were still asleep.

The affected furniture market is located opposite a popular filling station in the neighbourhood.

It was also gathered that a security guard at the market may have burnt materials overnight to repel mosquitoes, which could have sparked the blaze. However, authorities have not confirmed this claim.

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Mr. Agbedo Matthew, a caretaker at one of the affected shops, said he received a distress call at about 4:00 a.m. and rushed to the scene, where he met widespread destruction.

He added that officials of the Bayelsa State Fire Service arrived at about 6:00 a.m., nearly two hours after the fire started, and worked to contain the flames.

Matthew appealed to the state government to assist shop owners and traders who lost their sources of livelihood in the incident.

Also speaking, a furniture designer, Mr. Agbedo Jude, whose shop was affected, said he arrived at the scene after receiving a distress call, only to find his shop completely burnt.

He appealed to the government for support to rebuild his business.

He said: “Everything I laboured for over the years in this business was lost in one night. At the close of business yesterday, my goods were intact. I woke up this morning to realise that everything in my shop worth millions of naira had been destroyed. I don’t know where to start from, but I believe God will make a way.

“I appeal to the government to come to our aid and help us start again. These are difficult economic times, and this loss is devastating.”

A resident of the area, Mr. Wanfor Obina, said he was alerted by screams at about 4:00 a.m. and rushed outside to find the shops engulfed in flames.

He said residents made frantic efforts to contain the fire using water before firefighters arrived.

Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Bayelsa State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls and messages sent to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Muhammad, were not responded to.