An early morning fire invaded into a warehouse, near the Ariaria International Market, Aba, on Tuesday, destroying goods estimated at over 50 million.The disaster occured at No. 5 Market Crescent/Umuode Road, opposite Ekumi Plaza.
Aba Command Of Abia Fire Service, Commander Belenta Belenta confirmed the incident. According to a report, virtually all the items in the warehouse, including kitchen utensils and other products, were completely burnt.The Landlord of the building, Mr Paul Ajah, stated that the fire spread into the warehouse from across the compound.
He added that the outbreak could have been calm, considering the quality of the building, but was aided by the harmattan.He said that the fire escalated from items being burnt outside the building and spread over the wall fence into the warehouse. 
“We did not notice early until people saw the flames of fire in the warehouse and alerted us.“It was then that we went into action to try to quench it.“A good Samaritan later called the Fire Service, which came and helped to quench the fire,” Ajah said.
He regretted the huge damage done to the goods and building which, he said, would gulp millions of naira to repair.On Mr Nobertgreat Atulegwu part, he brought new stock into the place in December 2022 stating that he was leaving Aba for burial in his hometown when he received a call that his warehouse was on fire.
“On getting here I found that everything had totally burned down.I am yet to ascertain where the fire came from.“Unfortunately for me, it was only my warehouse that was burnt in the building and there was no electrical device or connection in that building.“May God help us because this is our life savings that have gone down the drain.“I pray that it will be a story I shall live to tell in future.“I pray that God will touch good-spirited Nigerians and the government of Abia to come to help us recover from this huge loss,” he said, sobbing.
