AT least, three persons have been confirmed to have sustained severe injuries during and after the Sunday afternoon inferno that gutted the Trinity Auto spare parts market, where over 150 shops were razed in the fire that lasted more than three hours.
Two of the victims; Mr. Emmanuel Chukwuka and his cousin, Mr. Chisom Chukwuka, 19 and 17 years respectively, were injured yesterday when a section of the plaza collapsed as scavengers scrambled for valuables from the rumbles.
However, the third person and former president of the traders association in the market, Mr. Jerome Odinigwe, was injured during the inferno on Sunday.
When Vanguard visited Elson hospital, Ladipo Close, where the two cousins were admitted, it was learnt that both cousins had injuries on their bodies.
A nurse, who spoke on condition of anonymity at the hospital, said both victims were brought to the hospital unconscious.
Mrs. Josephine Chukwuka, mother of Emmanuel, who spoke on behalf of two cousins, said “Both cousins were busy assisting my husband to salvage his goods at the early hours of today, when a section of the one-storey building caved in on them and they became unconscious.”
N500 M goods were destroyed - Traders
Speaking on loss to the fire, Mr. Ekeobi, said “Over N500 million worth of goods were destroyed by the inferno.
Hundreds of traders in the plaza affected by the fire had recently stocked goods in their shops, and were unable to remove most of them from the shops.”
He lamented that “larger percent of the traders went to their monthly village meetings at the time the fire occurred. Before they could rush down to save their wares, the inferno had wreck havoc on their shops.”
Ten-year effort, loss in one minute — Trader
Mr. Kinsley Uzoma, one of the traders that lost their wares said “I lost all I gathered in ten years in one minute on Sunday. I have to start from the scratch again. I watched my sweat burnt to ashes yesterday (Sunday) and I could not do anything. I cannot believe that all I worked for have been burnt completely. I started the auto spare part business in 2003 and ten after, all I worked for, under the sun and in the rain were burnt down.”
Another trader, Mr. Ernest Okorie, who was in tears when he spoke, said “I have lost all that kept me in Lagos because I lost over N5 million worth of goods to this fire. I have to start all over again. I am fed up. I was asleep when the calls came in and when I woke up at about 6:00 pm, I saw over 25 missed calls.
Immediately I called my friends who informed me of the fire disaster.”
For Blessing Oguariri, who is in her late 20s, “When I saw the fire, I was helpless and I began to cry because this is where I raise money to take care of my siblings. I do not know what do now.”
How the fire occurred
Mr. Iyke Bokosun, a trader who lives few metres away from the market declared “I am still in shock because I witnessed the entire disaster. It all started at about 2:00 from the shops at the back of the plaza.”
Bokosun who said he lost over N4 million, lamented that “immediately, we called the officials of the Lagos State fire service but they came late after the fire had razed my shops.”
A pastor, Chibuike Ikebuonu, who lost over N4million worth of goods, told reporters that the fire was aided by large stockpiles of tires and batteries in several shops.
He said: “The fire was swift and it destroyed my three shops filled with laptop computers, phones, accessories, books, documents and some cash. I could not save any of my property because I was not around when the fire started.
Ezenwa Goddy, another victim, said his N3million cash was consumed by the fire.
He lamented: “I received the money on Saturday from a customer who purchased some goods from me and I could not take the money to the bank because banks do not operate on Saturday. I left it in the shop; now I have lost it and other goods to the fire. I am finished, I need help.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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