Two shops on Ikot-Ekpene road in Umuahia the Abia state capital was gutted by fire in the early hours of Friday April 17, 2020.

Although the cause of the inferno remains unknown as at the time of filling this report, but eye witness said the fire was noticed at about 2 A.M in the morning.

One of the residents of the area identified as Mrs Joy Atulaoma, said they were alerted by a trailer driver who sighted the fire from the road and started blowing the horn of his vehicle.

She said,”We came out when we heard people raising the alarm over the fire that was burning the shops near our house.

“We made efforts to put out the fire with the help of our neighbors, although we called the men of the fire service, but they arrived around 3AM and complained that they didn’t have water in their tank.

“They also demanded for the sum of three thousand naira when they were leaving but we refused to give them”.

The owners of the burnt shops including one Nnamani Kingsley, who deals on aluminum works said he lost machine and finished work worth over 2.5 million naira.

Also Nnabuihe Anozie who deals on paper works said he lost goods worth over one million naira.

They pleaded with the state government to assist them with capital to start all over again.

The Landlord of the building where the shops were located Prince Ako Atulaoma, expressed disappointment over the inability of the men of the fire service to put off the fire on time.