Fire raised down property worth millions of Naira at Ojoto market located at Ojoto round about Mile 2 Diobu Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State last night.
The cause of the fire could not be ascertained as the market had already shut down for the day.
Speaking on the incident, Chairman of the market, Mr. Arinze Akupue in an interview with our Correspondent said he was in his house at bout few minutes to 10pm when security personnel in the market called him that there is flame coming out of the market.
Mr Akupue said he called some people around the market to assist to quench the fire while he drove to State Fire Service. On getting to State Fire Service, he was advised to seek help from the Federal Fire Service as they in the State Fire Service cannot assist him.
Mr Akupue disclosed that he drove to the Federal Secretariat where he informed the Federal Fire Service and their Commander approved immediately and they followed him to the scene.
The Chairman of the market explained that on getting to the scene, fire had already burnt down lots of properties in the market and hoodlums in the area had to attack personnel of the fire service in order to create a rowdy atmosphere so they can loot.
Mr Akupue stated that it took intervention of the Police to rescue the personnel of fire service while the fire completely razed the market.
He said over two hundred shops were burnt down with people not able to pick anything from their shops.
He revealed that three of his shops were gutted by the fire and he was not able to bring out anything.
He dismissed the insinuation that people cooking in the market was responsible for the fire while calling on State Government to come to their aid and provide succour to the victims of the incident.
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