Fire guts Bayelsa furniture market

Early morning fire outbreak has razed furniture shops near the former NEPA office in Opolo axis of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, destroying property worth millions of naira. Though the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, residents of the area told newsmen that the inferno started around 4:00am on Thursday, when the people […]

Early morning fire outbreak has razed furniture shops near the former NEPA office in Opolo axis of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, destroying property worth millions of naira.

Though the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, residents of the area told newsmen that the inferno started around 4:00am on Thursday, when the people were still asleep.

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

It was also gathered that a security guard in the market had burned some materials overnight to repel mosquitoes, which might have sparked the blaze.

Mr Agbedo Matthew, caretaker in one of the affected shops, said he received a distress call around 4:00am and rushed to the scene, where he met extensive damage.

Mr Matthew added that officials of the State’s fire service arrived at about 6:00am and tried to put out the fire.

Also speaking, a furniture designer who has a shop at the affected area, Mr Agbedo Jude, said he arrived at the scene after receiving a distress call, only to find out that his shop had been completely razed.

He appealed to the government for support to get started again.

He said: “Everything I laboured for years in this business has gone in a night of fire. I’m empty now, not knowing where to start from.”

A resident of the area, Mr Wanfor Obina, said that other residents made frantic efforts to contain the fire using water before firefighters arrived.

Police spokesman in Bayelsa State, DSP Musa Muhammad, who confirmed the inferno, said no life was lost in it.