Millions Lost as Anambra Supermarket Gutted by Fire in Benin City

Rita Enemuru, Reporting

BENIN CITY — Millions of Naira went up in smoke on Sunday afternoon after a popular shopping mall, Anambra Supermarket, was gutted by fire in the Ikpoba Hill area of Benin City, Edo State.

The blaze, which broke out on the first floor of the two-storey building, is believed to have been triggered by faulty solar panels installed on the roof.

A viral video circulating on social media and obtained by Stonix News showed a crowd gathered along the busy Benin–Auchi Road desperately trying to extinguish the raging inferno before firefighters from the Edo State Fire Service and the Federal Fire Service arrived at the scene.

An eyewitness, Mr Chukwuemeka Adimorah, who described himself as a friend of the supermarket’s owner, said he contacted the owner’s wife after learning of the incident. He was told that the fire service had already been alerted.

“I called the wife of the owner, but she told me she was aware and had informed the fire service,” Mr Adimorah said. “I want to thank the fire service personnel; they have done a good job today.”

Another witness, Mr Lucky Bright, said he was returning from church when he noticed the fire. He praised the fire service for its prompt response, which he said prevented the supermarket from being completely destroyed.

A third local, Mrs Blessing Aidengbe, attributed the outbreak to a possible fault in one of the solar panels on the roof.

“I suspect that there is a faulty panel among those panels on the roof of the building because whenever there is a fault, it can result in a fire outbreak,” she said.

At the time of filing this report, efforts to reach the Managing Director of the Edo State Fire Service for comment had proved unsuccessful.