…the fire destroyed goods and property valued at millions of naira, although no lives were lost in the incident.
ANAMBRA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Residents of Awka, the capital of Anambra State, are assessing the damage after two separate overnight fires destroyed four shops and affected nearby buildings in Awka South Local Government Area.
The first incident occurred at Nwafor Plaza, located off Oby Okoli Avenue near UNIZIK Junction on Okpuno Road, around 11:05 p.m. on Tuesday and lasted until about 3:00 a.m. A second fire broke out at Igiligi Lane, off Godwill Junction, at about 12:08 a.m. on Wednesday and was brought under control by 3:30 a.m.
A correspondent who visited the scenes observed that although no lives were lost, goods and property valued at millions of naira were destroyed. Firefighters responded swiftly, preventing the flames from spreading to adjoining buildings.
Witnesses linked the Nwafor Plaza inferno to a power surge shortly after electricity supply was restored, while the cause of the Igiligi Lane blaze has yet to be determined.
An eyewitness and shop owner recounted that smoke was first noticed rising from a corner of the plaza before the inferno quickly escalated. Residents and neighbours made desperate efforts to contain it, but several shops, including textile and provision stores, were already affected before the arrival of firefighters.
Chika Obasi, who owns a provision shop, put her losses at over N9 million. She explained that she had purchased goods worth more than N2 million from Eke Awka market the previous day and stocked her shop before leaving around 9 p.m., only to later receive a call that it was on fire. She lamented that her savings and hard work had been consumed by the blaze.
Another victim, textile dealer John Vincent, said customers’ clothes were destroyed in the fire while his wife, a nursing mother, was at home. However, neighbours managed to salvage his washing machine and generator before the fire spread further.
The building owner, Pastor Henry Obidimma, said he initially mistook the commotion for a robbery attempt. According to him, they had gone to bed when they heard unusual noises and suspected armed robbers until people began shouting “fire,” prompting them to rush outside. He added that electricity was not restored in the area until about 4 a.m., leaving the exact cause uncertain.
The Anambra State Fire Service, through its spokesperson Chukwudi Chiketa, confirmed both incidents, stating that firefighters responded immediately after receiving distress calls.
For the Nwafor Plaza blaze, the service said it received the emergency alert at 11:08 p.m. on February 24, with preliminary findings pointing to a power surge as the cause. Two shops were affected, and operations were concluded by 11:59 p.m., with officials noting that swift intervention stopped the inferno from spreading further. Residents were advised to install surge protectors and conduct routine electrical checks.
Regarding the Igiligi Lane incident, the fire service said it received a call at 12:08 a.m. on February 25. The blaze, which affected two shops, was contained by 1:23 a.m., and investigations into its cause are ongoing.
Chiketa urged residents and business owners to carry out regular safety inspections and promptly report fire outbreaks, assuring that the agency remains committed to safeguarding lives and property across the state.
