Mr Obidigbo Okorie, Chairman, Carpentry and Wood Design Market, Bridge-Head Markets, Onitsha, has urged the Anambra government to investigate the fire that gutted a major part of the market on Thursday.

Okorie told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the fire was put out by firefighters and members of the public that the artisans lost shops, wood and machinery worth more than N100 million.

NAN gathered that the fire started at about 4.30 a.m. and lasted till 11 a.m.

The chairman said that 99 per cent of the shops were lost to the fire.

"I call on those affected to keep calm (as) we would follow the investigation of the incident to its logical conclusion.

"I would invite the state and local governments to come close and understand what is going on here and then know how we can be helped," Okorie said.

Reacting, Mr Ugochukwu Ezeani, Chairman, Onitsha South Council Transition Committee, who visited the scene, described the incident as "unfortunate".

Mr Arinze Nweke, a wood designer, said he lost two shops and two wood designing machines worth some N200,000.

NAN recalls that a similar incident happened in the market in January 2010 during which some 60 shops were affected.

NAN