In the early hours of Tuesday, fire broke out in the main market in Onitsha, Anambra State.
Onitsha’s Main Market is reputed to be the largest market in West Africa. It is home to a sizable population of traders, most of whom are importers of goods and deal in a wide range of goods.
According to a source who raised the alarm, Mr. Barth Ifediora, the fire started early on Tuesday morning in the White House part of the market.
White House is the office of the leaders of the market, an expansive two-storey building and hosts several offices, halls for meetings in the first and second floor, while the ground floor hosts shops.
A source said: “The area mostly affected by the fire is the block of shops under the white house, where expensive lace materials are sold.”
Martin Agbili, the fire service boss in Anambra State, could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.
Traders have, however, mobilized to the market to fight the fire.