Midnight Fire Destroy Properties Worth Millions In Aba Business Centre As Residents Count Losses

A midnight fire destroyed properties worth millions of naira in a small-scale business centre located adjacent to the Aba and Area Command of the Nigeria Police and opposite the Aba Medium Security Custodial Centre of the Nigeria Correctional Service.

AbaCityBlog gathered that the inferno was noticed by residents around 1 am on Thursday few minutes after the public electricity supply was restored in the business centre.

It was learnt that the fire destroyed some restaurants, fashion designers’ shops and so many other places where different businesses were going on.

An eyewitness told our correspondent that the fire emanated from a tailoring shop located very close to another store where engine oil was sold at retail price.

“My sister’s restaurant got burnt down. Her fridges and freezers, generators, cooking appliances and kitchen utensils were burnt to ashes.

“She is yet to recover from the shock and she has been the one taking care of her kids after the death of her husband. Now, the only source of livelihood she once had has been taken away by fire.

“She’s not the only one affected but I feel her pain because I know the problem ahead. I just hope help can come her way from any angle,” Mr Angelina Okereke said.

Mr Simon Madu an eyewitness said the fire had already burnt down many shops and makeshift stores attached to them from the inside before it was noticed.

He added that by the time the personnel of the Aba Command of the Abia State Fire Service arrived at the scene, there was nothing to save, as almost all the affected shops and properties inside them were gone.