A fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday, May 8, in a three-storey building located in the Fegge area of Onitsha, Anambra State, destroying goods and machines worth millions of naira.
The fire started around 2:30 am, catching residents off guard while most were still asleep.
The affected building housed a small-scale sewing factory on its top floor.
According to one of the tenants, who runs the sewing business, the fire was caused by a power surge that occurred after a night of unstable electricity supply.
The blaze destroyed seven industrial sewing machines, six other machines, and a large quantity of fabric materials used for production.
The value of the loss runs into millions, leaving the business owner devastated.
The landlord of the property, who gave his name as Aaron Ezeobi, expressed his worry over the damage.
He said he had earlier asked the tenant to stop using the residential building for commercial purposes.
A quit notice had already been served and was set to expire the following month before the fire incident happened.
He lamented the situation, especially with the current rise in the cost of building materials, which would make repairs more difficult.
In response to the fire, the member representing Onitsha North and South in the House of Representatives, Emeka Idu, visited the scene to console the victims.
He sympathized with both the landlord and the tenant and encouraged them to stay strong despite the huge loss.
He gave financial support to the business owner and promised to look into the price of new industrial machines so further help can be arranged.
He also asked the landlord to inform him once repair work begins on the building so he can support financially.
The affected tenant, who lost all his equipment and materials, was visibly shaken but expressed gratitude for the support received so far.
The community has been left in shock, as the fire incident has not only disrupted a growing business but also affected other residents of the building.
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