By Osagie Otabor, Bénin
Less than one week after the Federal Fire Service boasted of its readiness to tackle fire incidents in Edo State, the popular Ekiosa market on Sunday razed without a single fire fighting truck on ground to put out the fire.
Commander of the FFS, Bidemi Jeremiah, during a street march to announce its presence in the state, said the body was ready to tackle fire emergencies.
But throughout the four hours that fire razed the Ekiosa market, men of the FFS or the Edo Fire Service failed to respond to distress call.
The fire started at the Ekiosa market from the Goat line at about 11am and lasted for more than four hours spreading to the entire market.
A five storey building housing the Edo Property Development Agency (EDPA) was also razed.
Owners of buildings closed to the market including a petrol station battled to stop the fire from reaching their houses.
They poured water and knocked out areas where the fire has already touched.
Some traders were forced out of their shops to avoid being caught in the fire.
It was gathered that men of the Edo State fire service were chased away by angry youths and traders when they were coming with one truck at about 12:30pm.
The youths said the Edo Fire Service did not respond to their distress call claiming there was no water but rushed to the scene when they learnt fire was spreading to a new shopping mall and the EDPA building.
There was jubilation among the crowd when they saw fire at the top floor of the EDPA building.
Several cars belonging to Edo State Government within the premises of the EDPA were destroyed by the angry youths.
A combined security team including soldiers were drafted to the scene to forestall breakdown of law and order.
Robbers, pick pocket and criminals had a field day as they stole goods of traders brought out from the raging fire as well as cell phones of sympathisers.
A teenager who tried to retrieved his phone from a pick pocket got his feet cut off as the hoodlums escaped into the crowd.
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The teenager was rushed to the hospital.
One trader who gave her name as Idowu said she lost many goat and other animals that were rescued before fire got to her shop.
Another trader said a bus driver fled with bags of rice he wanted to convoy to a safe location.
Ade Omosola, “The fire started from the back. It got to somewhere and a generator exploded which the fire to spread. The fire was following the roof so we could not put out the fire.
“The fire service came and left. People were stoning them. Goods worth millions of naira were destroyed.
To Edobor Imuwa, “There was no fire service. I heard about the fire at about 11am. Nothing was taken out. It is a pity that no fire service was on ground. It is painful that Obaseki did not equip the fire service to handle situation like this
But Iyamu said, “I was in Warri when I was called that the market is on fire. I rushed to Bénin and on getting here I did not see any fire fighters on ground. They came and said no water. They returned and the people chased them away with stones because the fire has caused a lot of damage.
“Look at the market. People are stealing goat. Soldiers cane and started shooting. My wife lost many goat. We don’t know what to do now.”
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