Two separate midnight fire outbreaks tore through commercial locations in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, destroying shops and buildings and causing extensive property losses, fire officials and eyewitnesses say.
The first blaze broke out at Nwafor Plaza, off Oby Okoli Avenue near UNIZIK Junction on Okpuno Road, at about 11:05 p.m. on Tuesday. Eyewitnesses reported seeing smoke shortly after electricity was restored before flames quickly spread through parts of the plaza, affecting several shops and goods before firefighters arrived to contain the inferno.
Just over an hour later, at about 12:08 a.m., a separate fire erupted on Igiligi Lane, off Godwill Junction, also in Okpuno, Awka South Local Government Area. Firefighters were again dispatched and worked to put out the flames before they spread further, but multiple shops and structures were damaged or destroyed.
No casualties were reported in either incident, but goods and property worth millions of naira were lost, causing distress for affected business owners and residents. Fire officials from the Anambra State Fire Service confirmed both outbreaks and said investigations into the cause of the Igiligi Lane fire are ongoing, while an initial probe suggested a power surge may have triggered the blaze at Nwafor Plaza.
Fire authorities urged traders and property owners to conduct regular safety checks, install surge protectors, and promptly report emergencies to fire stations to help prevent similar destructive incidents in the future.
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