Fire Destroys Properties Worth Over N 3 Billion Naira In Powerline, Ariria Market

A late Saturday night fire has gutted leather products, raw materials and machines estimated at over N3 billion in Aba, Abia State.

leather products, raw materials and machines estimated at over N3 billion in Aba, Abia State

The fire affected over 30 shops at the Mansion Zone block of the Powerline Leather Products Industrial Cluster.

Speaking to our Reporter, Mr Ugochukwu Nwachukwu, the chairman of the affected block in the industrial cluster reveals that on Sunday that more than 500 workers were working in the affected shops.

 “Though the Abia Fire Service arrived from Umuahia about an hour after the fire started, their efforts helped to douse the inferno” he added.

A former Chairman of the Omenka Shoemakers Association, Powerline Zone, Goodluck Mmeri, expressed disgust that miscreants capitalised on the situation to steal some of the materials and machines.

Also, Okechukwu Williams, the president of the Leather Product Manufacturers Association in Abia, lamented over the huge losses suffered by the traders in the face of the current harsh economic situation.

Mr Ndukwe a victim of the incident appealed for immediate help to the affected victims, as the incident has put their businesses, families, and employees in jeopardy, adding that surviving the aftermath of the incident without the support of Abia and Federal Governments, will be very difficult.