ONITSHA FIRE: BUHARI MOURNS, RESCUERS RECOVER MORE BODIES - PUNCH


PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI HAS EXPRESSED SADNESS OVER THE TANKER FIRE THAT CLAIMED LIVES OF A WOMAN AND HER BABY AND DESTROYED PROPERTY IN ONITSHA, ANAMBRA STATE ON WEDNESDAY.
BUHARI’S REACTION CAME JUST AS THREE MORE BODIES WERE RECOVERED ON THURSDAY. TWO OF THE DEAD BODIES WERE SAID TO BE SALESGIRLS. TRADERS FOUND THE BODIES ABOUT 9AM ON THURSDAY IN A SHOP AT THE OCHANJA MARKET.
ONE OF THE RESCUERS, WHO SPOKE WITH OUR CORRESPONDENT ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY, SAID HE SUSPECTED THE GIRLS WERE TRAPPED.
 HE SAID, “WE ALSO RECOVERED THE BODY OF A YOUNG MAN IN ONE SHOP. HIS BODY WAS NOT BURNT. WE SUSPECTED HE MUST HAVE DIED OF SUFFOCATION. THE BODIES OF TWO SALESGIRLS WERE ALSO RECOVERED IN ONE SHOP.”
PROTESTING TRADERS, WHO STOPPED GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM JOINING IN THE THE STATE GOVERNOR, WILLIE OBIANO, WHO VISITED THE MARKET AT ABOUT 9.20AM, COULD NOT ADVANCE TO THE ACTUAL SCENE OF THE INFERNO DUE TO THE LARGE CROWD OF TRADERS WHO OBSTUCTED TRAFFIC FLOW.
SPEAKING WITH ONE OF OUR CORRESPONDENTS, A VICTIM, CHUKWUKA OKEKE, A NEIGHBOUR TO THE WOMAN THAT DIED WITH HER CHILD ON WEDNESDAY, DESCRIBED THE TRAGEDY AS UNFORTUNATE AND AVOIDABLE.
HE SAID, “WE WERE IN OUR SHOPS WHEN I GOT THE CALL THAT THERE WAS FIRE BURNING AT UPPER IWEKA. THOUGH WE SAW SMOKE GOING UP FROM A DISTANCE, NOBODY COULD BELIEVE IT WOULD EXTEND TO THIS PLACE.
 “FOR OVER THREE HOURS, WE PERCEIVED THE SMELL OF PETROL PROBABLY MIXED WITH GAS FROM A DISTANCE AS IT FLOWED THROUGH THE DRAINAGE UNTIL THE WHOLE THING WENT UP IN FLAMES.
 “THE WOMAN HAD ALREADY RUSHED OUT OF THE SHOP WITH HER BABY BUT SHE SUDDENLY WENT BACK.  SHE SLIPPED OFF IN THE PROCESS AND FELL INSIDE THE GUTTER WHICH WAS ALREADY IN FLAMES.
THURSDAY RESCUE, BLAMED THE GOVERNMENT FOR NEGLIGENCE.




READ FULL STORY IN PUNCH NEWSPAPER.

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