Shopping mall razed by fire

Four storey shopping mall is razed to the ground during fire outbreak in Edo state.

 

A popular shopping mall, Phill-Hallmark Supermarket, in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, has been razed by fire on Sunday, December 11, 2016, ‎destroying goods worth billions of naira.

Punch reports that the fire started at about 2am, when only a few of the staff were present.

The four storey building was destroyed in the inferno, while an extension of the main building was partly burnt.

According to the reports, the supermarket reportedly housed several sections, including a boutique, bakery, food and beverages as well as home appliances‎.

Officials of the state fire service were seen battling to put out the raging fire at about 9am but it was not extinguished until about 11:30am despite the reported joint efforts from the Nigerian Airforce and the University of Benin.

Fortunately, no casualties were recorded in the fire. Governor Godwin Obaseki reportedly visited the scene to inspect the level of damage, amongst other visitors such as the lawmaker representing Egor constituency in the House of Assembly, Crossby Eribo; the Executive Director (Enforcement) of the state internal revenue service, Emmanuel Usoh‎, and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Paschal Ugbome.

Eribo said, “It is very sad. Even if we had a very good and controllable fire service, it still would have been very difficult because it is large shopping mall.

“It is a massive loss at this festive period when people are trying to shop with the recession. In fact, I was in tears when I came.”