Fire Razes Rivers Market, Hoodlums Brutalise Fireman

Goods and properties worth millions were on Wednesday, destroyed by fire in Okujagu slaughter market, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

It was gathered that the fire which was caused by suspected urchins smoking illicit substances in the market, razed no fewer than 10 makeshift houses in the market.

The traders and residents following the incident alerted officials of the fire service.

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Meanwhile, one of the firefighters from the Federal Fire Service who arrived at the scene with his colleagues following a distress call was beaten to a pulp by anxious youths who were angry that the firemen did not show up in time to put out the fire.

The Commander, Federal Fire Service, Rivers State, Abdullahi Audu, confirmed the attack on the fire fighter.

He said,

“We already positioned our vehicle to start ut on his hand. We had to rush him to the hospital where his hand was stitched. He was given some pints of blood.”

“As he fell down, they (hoodlums) held him and started beating him with machetes. He had a deep cut on his hand. We had to rush him to the hospital where his hand was stitched. He was given some pints of blood.”

Audu said the agency could not ascertain the cause of the fire because the hoodlums prevented them from putting out the fire and taking inventory of the incident.

“What we are doing is to complement the efforts of the state firemen. But because we are not allowed to do our work, there is no way we can stay back and ascertain the level of damage in the fire,” he said.

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