One Killed as Fire Razes 45 shops at Enugu Auto Parts Market

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

At least one official of the Enugu State Fire Service, who was identified as Mr. Chigozie Ugwu, has lost his life while trying to put out a blaze at the popular Enugu motor spare parts market, Coal Camp.

Ugwu was among the team that was deployed to stop the fire.

According to eyewitnesses, the fire outbreak, which started at 1:10 a.m. yesterday, razed about 45 shops and destroyed goods worth millions of Naira. 

The Enugu State Chief Fire Officer, Mr. Okwudili Oha, who confirmed the death of Ugwu said that his corpse had been deposited at the morgue of the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH).

Oha said that Ugwu collapsed, moments after he and other officials had waged a two-hour battle to stop the fire, adding that the officer was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

He said: “Ugwu was a dedicated officer who loved to lead by example. He was my best fire officer. He was not supposed to come to work because he was still recuperating from an illness. However due to his passion for the job, he decided to join the team. We have been able to quench the fire. It took more than two hours. It was a huge loss.” 

In his reaction, the President of Enugu State Motor Spare Parts Dealers Association, Mr. Mike Nomeh, who confirmed the incident said that the fire started at one of the shops and spread to a neighbouring restaurant that used cooking gas.

Nomeh said: “I received a call from one of our security men, around midnight, that our market was on fire. Our security men promptly rushed to stop it, when they noticed the fire. But when they got to the shop, they noticed it was locked and burglar-proofed.” 

He further explained that as they were battling to break into the shop, the fire escalated to the next shop, which operated a restaurant. Immediately, a gas cylinder inside the restaurant exploded, spreading the fire to several shops.

He, therefore, called on the state government and other well-meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of traders whose goods have been affected due to the fire outbreak.