A devastating fire outbreak in the early hours of Thursday has razed a three-storey residential building at Fegge, Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State, resulting in the destruction of properties worth millions of naira and throwing residents into panic.
The inferno, which reportedly began around 2:30 am, was allegedly caused by an electricity surge following erratic power supply the previous night. Victims and witnesses described the incident as both tragic and avoidable, as emergency response was slow, allowing the fire to spread rapidly through the building.
One of the worst-hit victims, Mr. Jude, who operated a mini industrial sewing factory on the top floor, narrated his loss in anguish. According to him, the fire consumed all his equipment and materials.
“The fire started suddenly due to an electricity surge. It was a terrible experience. I lost seven industrial sewing machines, each costing about N1.5 million, six regular sewing machines, and clothing materials running into millions,” he recounted.
Mr. Jude added that he had no insurance cover for the business, compounding his financial woes.
The landlord of the building, Mr. Aaron Ezeobi, while expressing sympathy for the victim, revealed that the situation could have been avoided. He disclosed that he had issued a quit notice to the tenant over safety concerns regarding the use of the building for commercial purposes.
“I warned Mr. Jude about using my residential property for industrial work. The quit notice I served him was set to expire next month, but this unfortunate incident happened before then. The cost of rebuilding is unimaginable, especially with today’s high prices of construction materials,” he lamented.
As the community reels from the shock, Member of the House of Representatives representing Onitsha North and South Federal Constituency, Hon. Emeka Idu, paid a visit to the scene to sympathize with the affected individuals. The lawmaker described the fire as “a major economic and emotional loss” for the victims.
Hon. Idu, who donated N200,000 to Mr. Jude as immediate relief, promised further assistance after assessing the total cost of the destroyed machines.
“I urge you not to dwell too much on the loss to avoid health complications. This support is just to help you manage for now. Once you’re ready to restart, I will assist further,” he assured.
He also promised to support the landlord once the process of re-roofing and rebuilding begins.
The incident highlights growing concerns over the safety of residential buildings being converted for commercial use without adherence to proper zoning regulations and safety protocols. Local residents have called on the Anambra State Government and emergency agencies to intensify fire safety awareness campaigns, especially as the dry season approaches.
Many have also decried the lack of timely response from fire services, noting that faster intervention could have salvaged part of the building and properties.
As of the time of filing this report, officials from the Anambra State Fire Service had yet to issue a formal statement on the cause of the fire and response details.
Meanwhile, the affected building remains cordoned off as community leaders and sympathizers continue to visit the site.