By Alphonsus Nweze
The Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Mr. Emeka Orji, has promised to build fire station at the Bridgehead market as a way to checkmate fire incidence in the market.
The chairman spoke weekend when the Fact-Finding Committee on November 8, 2022, explosion and fire incident at the market which he set up presented its report at the Local Government Headquarters.
The chairman said the building of fire station in the market with complete fire equipment would be his priority to checkmate fire incidence at the flourishing market.
He also said the sale of dangerous chemicals which caused the last explosion in the market would be regulated to avoid quacks dealing on high volatile chemicals that can endanger the lives of traders.
The committee which has Mr Peter Okala, a traders’ activist as chairman had stated in it’s report that the explosion was not caused by bomb planted by external persons as erroneously believed by many.
He said the explosion was caused by chemicals being mixed by people who are not knowledgeable.
Okala also said four persons died in the explosion and inferno contrary to what was carried in the media that eight persons died but he stated that some who were injured, one of whom is amputated, were still recuperating in the hospital at the time of presenting the report.
He said that the state Government was still to fulfill its promise of assisting the traders in rebuilding the demolished building during the explosion to give way to fire fighting vehicles quenching the inferno.
Consequently, the committee recommended that the state Government should foot the bills of rebuilding of the shops especially the ones that were brought down to create access for the rescue operation.
They also recommended payment of compensation to the traders who lost goods worth over hundreds of millions of naira.
The committee said that the State Government should provide alternative power especially solar powered light in Anambra markets.
They also recommended that CCTV cameras should be installed at the Bridgehead market to checkmate crime and other actions inimical to the safety of the markets in the State.
The panel also recommended that each of the line in the market should provide standing fire extinguishers to prevent fire at its early stage before it gets out of hand.
They equally suggested that Anambra State Government should make insurance policy compulsory for traders so they can insure their lives, goods and shops against fire and other risks.
Other members of the panel present during the presentation were the Secretary of the Panel, Dr. Frank Udemadu, Sir Nerus Nwanze, Charles Ezenwanne, Chief Ikechukwu Orizu, Chief Samuel Nzeobi, Chief Ikechukwu Umeh and Hon. Kelvin Ibellow.
