Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, at the weekend lamented the unfortunate fire incident that occurred at Ifejika Street, Sokoto Road, Onitsha, which claimed shops and goods worth millions of naira.

The fire occurred on Friday and destroyed two four-story buildings while damaging a third. No lives were, however, lost, though significant property and goods were destroyed.

Governor Soludo extends his sincere sympathies to the affected traders and property owners impacted by the distressing event.

In a statement by his Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, the governor said that the unfortunate incident underscored the need for public caution against the use of residential areas as unauthorized warehouses, considering the fact that obstructed access roads severely hindered firefighting efforts, according to the information gathered.

“Therefore, developers and landlords are strongly advised to adhere strictly to building standards, secure permits from relevant government agencies, and ensure no obstruction to access roads for emergency vehicles in case of distress,” he said.

Meanwhile, Governor Soludo has directed relevant agencies to intensify collaboration with traders and residents to enforce safety regulations while accelerated investigations are being carried out to determine the remote and immediate causes of the inferno to prevent future occurrences.