Fire guts Benin supermarket, destroys goods worth millions

A significant fire broke out on Sunday afternoon, razing parts of Anambra Supermarket, a popular shopping mall located in the Ikpoba Hill area of Benin City, Edo State. The inferno destroyed goods worth millions of naira, causing substantial economic loss.

“

When I was coming from church, I found out that the supermarket was on fire. I called the wife of the owner, but she told me she was already aware and had alerted the fire service. I want to commend the fire service personnel for their efforts. They did a good job.

The fire reportedly began on the first floor of the two-storey building. Eyewitnesses and initial suspicions suggest that a fault in one of the solar panels installed on the roof may have triggered the blaze. The incident drew the attention of residents and passers-by, who made urgent efforts to combat the flames before official emergency services arrived.

Personnel from the Edo State Fire Service and the Federal Fire Service responded swiftly to the scene. Their prompt intervention was crucial in containing the fire and preventing it from spreading further. An eyewitness, Chukwuemeka Adimorah, who is a friend of the supermarket owner, commended the firefighters for their efforts, stating they "did a good job."

“

I was also returning from church when I noticed the fire. The response from the fire service was timely and helped to save the supermarket from complete destruction.

Another witness, Lucky Bright, corroborated this, noting that the firefighters' timely response "helped to save the supermarket from complete destruction." While no injuries or fatalities were reported, the extent of the damage to goods and property is estimated to be in the millions of naira. Efforts to obtain an official statement from the Edo State Fire Service were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.

“

I suspect there was a faulty panel among those installed on the roof because such faults can trigger a fire outbreak.