By John Ugo, Awka
Several number of unclaimed corpses at the General Hospital in the commercial town of Onitsha, Anambra State have been burnt beyond recognition by fire.
Also, the popular food market near the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state was also torched by strange fire.
Items worth millions of naira were destroyed in the inferno.
It was learnt that all the corpses in the morgue were burnt during the incident which occured weekend.
The state Director of Fire Service, Engr. Martin Agbili, who confirmed the fire incident at the morgue disclosed that the fire incident happened at about 12.34pm
He said that the fire was caused by bush burning.
A stall owner in the market who spoke on the condition said that a team of policemen was quickly mobilized to the scene to prevent people from looting the shops around the market.
Engr. Egbili says, “Yesterday, 22-01-2022 by 1243hours, fire gutted the Onitsha General Hospital Mortuary as a result of bush burning from a nearby hospital’s quarter. All the deposited corpses were burnt beyond recognition.”
Police Public Relations Officer (DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, who confirmed the fire incident at the market, said that the Commissioner of Police, Echeng Echeng had ordered investigation into the incident.
He said, “The Commissioner of Police, is worried by recent fire incidents in market at Oko and food vendor/furniture workshop near state secretariat junction by Ifite road which resulted to loss of valuable properties.
“Preliminary Information reveals that the fire took place in the early hours of the morning period and no life was lost.
“The Police Operatives quickly responded, cordoned off the area to avert hoodlums from taking advantage of the situation to loot and contacted the Fire service department.
“The fire was successfully put off and the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
“The CP advised members of the public to always take precautionary measures to avert such ugly incidents by avoiding storing highly combustible materials in their homes, offices or business premises.”
