Following the fire outbreak that ravaged significant part of the modern Ogbeogonogo market in Asaba on Tuesday morning, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has visited the market with his entourage.
Ongoing investigation is yet to unravel the cause of the fire but following previous experiences, the cause may not be unconnected with electrical sparks from a section of the market. And such fires are usually devastating as this very one.
Goods worth millions of Naira and structures housing the goods were also destroyed by the early morning inferno.
The governor who visited the market to inspect the extent of damage done by the inferno said the state government will assist the traders affected to get back to their businesses.
After the visit, Governor Okowa told journalists that palliatives will be given to the traders who lost their goods in the market.
Okowa said: “We visited the Ogbeogonogo market; the old part was badly affected. Stores were totally burnt down. We cannot ascertain the number of stores for now but they are quite many.
“I have directed that the chairman of the market should get documentations to us on those who own stores in the market. We will check with the documents at the local government council, so that we arrange assistance in the form of palliatives and see how to help them.
“They have been very badly affected. But we thank God for the intervention of the state fire service. The fire would have done more damage to other private stores around if not the intervention of the fire service. The cost is not yet known. We will provide a level of assistance to those affected.
“The cause of the fire is still being investigated. It is yet unknown. That section of the market has been razed down completely. Such fires normally break out from sparks of electrical connections but for now the cause is not yet known.”
