From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar

The charred remains of what were once thriving businesses lie scattered across sections of the  timber market, a haunting reminder of the devastating fire that razed the area recently.

The Akim Timber Market, one of the largest and oldest timber markets in Cross River State, has over the last five decades provided the increasing need for wood and furniture for residents of the state.

 

 

Located at the heart of the city of Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, the market  provided a platform for wood dealers and furniture makers to meet the needs of customers but a huge blaze shattered the business of scores of traders recently.

The smoldering wreckage tells a tale of utter devastation, as traders wandered amid the ashes, their dreams and livelihoods ravaged by the inferno.

Heart-wrenching wails pierced the air as traders who had spent decades in the wood business found themselves reduced to square one and made to start from scratch.

 

 

“Everything is gone”, said Ruben Jimmy, a father of four, who has spent 30 years in the trade.

“At about 8:45 pm on Friday, I was called that fire has gutted the market and before I came here it consumed all my belongings, machines, tools and materials I bought for various jobs amounting to N10 million.

“I don’t know where to start. My personal property and wood like achi, mahogany, menasol, so many species of wood, cutting machines, spraying machine, sawing machine, sand paper machine, all gone,” he said.

“I almost committed suicide on Friday evening when I saw the charred remains of my shop”, said Albert Isang, who came to the market in 1973.

“As I’m talking to you I have children to feed with nothing to start with. Even a hammer is not available, almost N20 million gone with the fire.

“Keeping money in the bank makes no meaning so I reinvest every cash I have in the business. Besides machines, I stocked 30 cabinet doors and 40 frames to deliver to a customer but all have gone.

“I draw strength from God right now because I don’t know what to start with as I’m getting to 70 years,” he said.

For Sunday Umana, alias Mkpa, he has been rendered useless by the fire and is  indebted to customers.

“I was working on 15 panel doors for customers, each door was worth N50,000 alongside four beds. These have now turned to ashes, including a generator I rented to complete the job.

“Carpentry tools, drilling machines, sewing machines and grinders worth over N8 million are now ashes.

“As you see us now, we have moved from thriving businessmen to idle and indebted family men in desperate need of succour,” he said.

“I almost jumped into the raging fire when I saw my machines and customers’ goods burning to ashes,” said Bassey Jonathan.

“When I was told the market was on fire on Friday night, I thought it was a small fire but when I came here it was a disaster.

“It turned everything to ashes. Look at my machines and people’s work. I cannot believe I’m starting from scratch after over 20 years in this place.

“I have machines worth N1.5 million and various works for customers worth N4.5 million. This is very devastating”, he said.

For Isaac, customers have started calling for their items and they don’t want excuses from him over the incident.

“I bought 10 pieces of HDF plywood to work for customers and each of them is worth N42,000. This alone is worth N420,000.

“Besides this, I also had 18 frames worth N25,000, 10 doors and other wood. Those who paid for them are asking for their jobs.

“I’ve tried to explain that these items were substantially destroyed during the fire and these are the ashes, as you can see. But they say they are not interested in excuses,” he said.

Jonah Ekong, a furniture maker, said when he saw his shop being consumed by fire, he almost fainted and his children consoled him.

“Since that Friday night, I have not been myself. I almost fainted that night when I saw my items and people’s work being consumed by fire and my children consoled me.

“I finished two coffins and the dead people were supposed to be buried this weekend and their family members were supposed to pick up the coffins the following day.

“I completed 26 tables and chairs and all these have been consumed by fire, including my machines. It’s a very unfortunate experience for you to watch your machines and people’s work being consumed by fire and you can do nothing about it,” he said.

He added that, besides losing machines worth at least N8 million, he is now a debtor as he  has to return money to customers whose jobs were consumed by fire.

President of the Calabar Akim Timber Market Traders’ Association, Prince Sunday Ukata, said losses incurred by the association included over 25 shops and damage worth N600 million.

Giving an account of the incident, he said: “When I was I informed that the market was on fire, by the time I got here that night, about five shops were gone and we tried our possible best to quench the fire.

“We called the fire service and our neighbours but there was no response. We sent people there and they told us that they had no vehicles and no water.

“I called Airport Fire Service  and the man in charge asked for some minutes. When I called again, he told me that if the governor does not give approval, they would not come.

“There was nothing we could do and had to use water.  Some government officials later came and called the UNICAL Fire Service, who came much later and quenched the fire.

“About 25 shops were affected. Many generators and spraying machines were consumed and by our conservative estimates, losses incurred exceeds N600 million naira.

“One band of saw used to cut large woods is over N40 million and about five were consumed. Many families have been rendered useless,” he said.

Police public relations officer in the state, Sunday Eitokpah, said preliminary investigations showed that the cause of the fire was spark from a public power source. He said investigations were ongoing to unravel the cause of the blaze, which happened a few metres away. Akim Police Barracks shares a boundary with the market.

Mr. Emmanuel Ajom, director of the Cross River State Fire Service, said his fire trucks were under maintenance and as such the service lacked the capacity to respond to such incidents.

He explained that the trucks were procured about 14 years ago and were presently undergoing routine maintenance.

Olumayowa Olomola, state commanding officer of the Federal Fire Service, attributed the inability of her office to respond to the fire to a bad fire truck. She explained that the federal truck was recently vandalized by hoodlums in Calabar during an operation.

According to her, not only was the truck vandalized, some fire fighting officers were inflicted with injuries during the operation.

“The state government is fully aware of this and had promised to fix the truck and treat the injured officers.

“But as we speak, we have made several followups on this, and they have not responded several months later,” she said.

The Akim Timber Market fire in Calabar, which was allegedly caused by a spark from public power supply, has left traders with over N500 million in losses.

The delayed response from the fire service, attributed to lack of functional trucks and resources, has raised concerns about emergency preparedness.

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