Victims of fire incident whose shops were burnt down on Monday have appealed to Rivers State government for assistance to cover for their loss.
The fire broke out along Mile Four, Ikwerre Road as sparks from a welding machine ignited and caused fire outbreak which gutted nearly 15 shops. A shopowner had called in the welder to work on his protector for the front door of his shop.
One of the shopowners, Mr Chinedu Ozumba, who spoke on the incident appealed to the government for assistance saying that his business was his source of livelihood.
Mr Ozumba said: “I know that the governor of Rivers State (Chief Nyesom Wike) has already been doing good things for both indigenes and non-indigenes, so I’m appealing to him to come to our rescue”.
He further said: “I don’t have any other thing so I’m appealing to the government to help us”.
He said he was at home when his assistant had called to say there was fire outbreak and when he came on the scene he could not make out his shop anymore.
He said about 15 shops were affected saying that shopowners dealt in local and foreign furniture and mattress.
He said that the fire was put out with the help of people around the area saying that there were no firefighters throughout the period of the fire.
Mr Ozumba said he would not give account of how much he had lost saying also he would not want to remember what had happened.
The fire incident was devastating to shopowners.
A source said over N20million was lost in the fire saying a shopowner who was preparing for marriage later this month was also affected.
An eyewitness said that the fire started at about noon on Monday and was caused by sparks from a welding machine.
The eyewitness Mr Miracle Ikeka who spoke on the incident said that the fire started and had spread to other shops causing damage.
The affected shops were clearly burnt to the ground.
On Tuesday, shopowners affected by the fire were seen huddled together talking about the fire and emotions were clearly high.
One of the shopowners who was not around at the time of incident was seen surveying the scene on Tuesday but had been helped by relatives so that he would not collapse.
