Kehinde Fajobi
A fire that broke out in the early hours of Tuesday at Nkwo Nnewi Market, the largest in the town, destroyed goods worth billions of naira.
However, the swift intervention of Prof Joseph Ugboaja, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), averted a greater disaster.
Prof Ugboaja mobilised fire fighters and trucks from NAUTH, who, along with local volunteers, battled the inferno for five hours before finally putting it out.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, but traders and residents were shaken by the incident due to the market’s significance and potential loss if the fire spread further.
Trader Donald Okafor shared his relief, saying, “The traders were jolted by the fire because they know what they would have lost if it affected other parts of the market, but thank God for the intervention of the CMD of NAUTH who we understand single-handedly mobilised fire fighters who managed the inferno and succeeded in putting it off to save other sections of the market.”
Okafor added that the goods destroyed were worth billions, and without Prof. Ugboaja’s timely action, the entire market could have faced a devastating loss, amounting to trillions of naira.
Another trader, Okechukwu Okonkwo, praised the efforts of NAUTH’s fire fighters, saying, “While I must commend the efforts of the volunteers who tried their best to extinguish the fire but were overwhelmed by its force, the management of NAUTH should be praised for quickly responding to the distress call for help.”
Okonkwo further acknowledged that NAUTH’s fire department, fully equipped under Prof. Ugboaja’s leadership, demonstrated exceptional professionalism and bravery during the crisis.
This latest intervention follows the delivery of state-of-the-art firefighting trucks and ambulances by NAUTH last year.