Fire has gutted properties worth more than N100 million along Obiagu Road in Enugu State.
The fire incident, which started around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday was caused by a female student who lit a candle in her room and left it unattended to and the curtains caught fire leading to the explosion of cooking gas in the room, Ugama reports.
It was gathered that the incident razed down the properties and a 21-bedroom edifice housing tenants and shops.
An eye witness, who said the fire took everybody by surprise, said sympathizers poured water in an attempt to quench it before the state fire service men arrived at the scene.
The Enugu state fire officer who stormed the scene at Obiagu with four vehicles averted what would have rendered many other families homeless.
Fire Service men, however, was able to put out the fire and also prevented it from spreading to nearby buildings which have little or no space between them.
Speaking to journalists, Izuchukwu Emmanuel Nkpukpu, one of the victims whose two electronics shops were burnt said he was yet to wake up from the dream.
The young trader who just returned from Dubai said he lost over N100 million in the inferno. “All the LCD Televisions and other electronics I just brought in are gone, please tell me it’s a dream.”
He, therefore, called on Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to help them as he has nothing left. “I have to start afresh, but with what; from where?” he queried.
Efforts to reach the landlord of the razed building at the time of filing this report proved abortive.
