Fire Guts Seven Shops in Benin City

A fire early on Sunday morning destroyed seven shops and many goods on Amen Owie Street, opposite Delano Hotels, off Second Ugbor Road, Abuja Quarters, in Benin City, Edo State.

The fire started around 3am on Sunday, causing heavy losses for shop owners. Thankfully, no lives were lost in the incident.

Some shop owners shared their experiences with our reporter. They said neighbours alerted them after the fire began. They believe the fire was caused by a shop owner who left an electrical appliance on after closing late.

The fire reportedly broke out soon after the Benin Electricity Distribution Company restored power to the area. But the official cause of the fire is still not confirmed.

One shop owner expressed sadness over the loss, saying, “I got a call from one of the residents that the stores were on fire. I had to be driven there to see what happened. We lost goods and our sources of livelihood.”

Residents rushed to the scene and broke down doors of some shops to save valuable items. Their quick action helped stop the fire from spreading to other parts of the area, although seven shops were still affected.

The shop owners mentioned that getting the Edo State Fire Service to the scene was difficult because of the early hour.

The total quantity and value of goods destroyed in the fire have not been determined yet.