LetA raging fire has destroyed shops and goods worth millions of naira in a night inferno that swept through a market along the popular Iweka Road, near Ochanja Market in Onitsha, Anambra State.

The fire, which broke out around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, engulfed shops dealing in furniture materials, including leather, foam, and other items. Many traders had already closed for the day, leaving their businesses vulnerable to the blaze.

Although the cause of the fire remains unknown, eyewitnesses say it burned for several minutes before firefighters arrived. By then, residents and sympathizers had already begun making frantic efforts to salvage whatever goods remained.

Confirming the incident on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Fire Service, Chukwudi Chiketa, said the agency received a distress call at 9:40 p.m. and immediately deployed firefighters and equipment to contain the flames.

“Our team was able to stop the fire from spreading further,” Chiketa said.

Meanwhile, affected traders have been urged to return to the market to assess the extent of the damage.