Tragedy struck at the popular Uselu market on Ugbowo road, Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, following a fire outbreak which gutted a section of the market.
It was gathered that the inferno, which started at about 8.30pm on Monday evening, razed over 50 shops cited on Osamwonyi Street, although no life was reported lost.
When our correspondent got to the scene of the incident, there was a billow from the charred remains of the burnt goods.
While some of the affected traders struggled to salvage what was left of their wares, many others were seen bemoaning the level of damage done to goods worth millions of Naira.
One of the traders, Mr. Chidera Nwakeze, explained that he recently stocked four shops with bags of rice, beans and other food items but lost everything to the inferno.
Nwakeze said, “I came to the market around 8.30pm and discovered that it was on fire. But before I could get to my shops, they had already been consumed with all my goods.”
But another victim, who declined mentioning her name, alleged conspiracy against the affected traders, many of whom she said were Igbos.
“I don’t think that the fire was caused by any electrical fault because the section which got burnt has been out of electricity supply.
“Someone must have set fire on this area of the market because it is dominated by Igbo people,” she said.
They noted that, but for the intervention of officials of the Edo State Fire Service, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and some soldiers in the area, the inferno would have spread to the entire market.
When contacted, an official of the Edo State Fire Service, who identified himself as Fireman Ero, told our correspondent to write officially to the service, if he wanted any information on the incident.
“You say you are a journalist? You have to write officially, if you want to get any information,” he said.
But the council chairman, Mr. Victor Enobakhare, described the incident as an act of sabotage by persons who were against the reconstruction of the market, also known as Edaiken Market.
While urging the victims to remain calm, he however, announced a donation of one million Naira to serve as a palliative to cushion the effect of the damage and promised to notify the state government on further action