Traders at the Caring Heart Market in Okitipupa, Okitipupa LGA in Ondo, have appealed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for support after a fire razed their shops and goods worth over N50 million.

The midnight fire affected 18 shops on Thursday.

Some traders who spoke with NAN in separate interviews on Friday at the market said that they had lost almost everything they had. They said their losses include cash, deep freezers, generators, stabilisers, fans, umbrellas and frozen foods.

Faye Morayo, a frozen foods seller, said she just stocked her shop with fish, turkey, and other items to meet the demands of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

She said she lost items worth over N3 million, including three big deep freezers, two big generators, two big stabilisers and nylon worth N25,000 in the incident.

Bosede Enufo, who said she was a widow with six children, said she was heartbroken and devastated, as she did not know the next thing to do. She lamented losing over N7 million to the fire, which cost big deep freezers, generators, stabilisers, big umbrellas, nylon sales, and a stock of fish and turkey.

Another victim, Modupe Akimtimiwa, bemoaned the loss of over N3 million in goods. She appealed to the governor to assist all victims with money and help renovate the burnt shops, as their necks were deep in loans they had to repay.

Florence Irinyemi, the Iyalaje of Idepe-Okitipupa, said the market security guard raised the fire incident alarm around 1:00 a.m. on Thursday. She urged the state government to restore the comatose Okitipupa Fire Service to be able to respond swiftly and reduce damage caused by such incidents.

(NAN)