An early morning fire on Sunday gutted the Umunnachi section of the age-long popular Aforigwe Market in Umudioka community, in Dunukofia LGA of Anambra, destroying property worth millions of naira.
Chukwudi Chiketa, the Anambra Fire Service chief, disclosed this in Onitsha.
Mr Chiketa said the possible cause of the fire could be an electrical spark caused by the restoration of power to the affected building.
He noted that the inferno started around 2:00 a.m., but the quick intervention of men of the fire service prevented it from spreading to adjoining buildings.
A witness, who pleaded anonymity, said that officials of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company stormed the market along the Old Onitsha-Awka road to disconnect the cables to prevent electrocution.
He listed the shops affected as including shoes, provisions, bread depots, and electrical appliances, among others.
(NAN)