Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, lamented the fire incident at Ifejika Street, Sokoto Road, Onitsha, where shops and goods worth millions of naira were destroyed.

The fire occurred on Friday and destroyed two four-story buildings. No lives were lost, though significant property and goods were lost.Governor Soludo sympathised with 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 incident underscored and re-emphasised the need for public caution against using residential areas as unauthorised warehouses. He said this is in consideration of the fact that obstructed access roads severely hinder firefighting efforts.

“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 recurrences.