By Deborah Nnamdi
A raging fire on Wednesday morning destroyed property and goods valued at billions of naira at a factory in Abubor Nnewichi, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The blaze, which reportedly started around 5:50 a.m., tore through the facility, consuming production machines, office equipment, vehicles, and large quantities of finished and in-production goods, including flammable items such as Pampers and tissue paper.
An eyewitness, Mr. Obinna Okoye, who lives near the factory, said the incident occurred while many residents were still asleep. He added that firefighters responded swiftly after being alerted.
“The fire service men are still trying to put out the fire. You know how inflammable pampers and tissue papers can be,” he said.
Confirming the incident, the Commander of the Fire Service in charge of Nnewi Zone F Machine Parts, Mr. Jeremiah Anwuobi, said his team received a distress call at about 5:30 a.m. and quickly mobilised to the scene. He noted that although the fire had been brought under control, the cause of the incident was still unknown. No casualties were recorded.
A staff member of the company’s Audit Department, Mr. Chikelu Edwin, described the outbreak as mysterious, pointing out that there was no electricity supply to the section of the factory where the fire started, leaving workers puzzled about the source of the inferno.
