By John Ushie
Goods worth millions of Naira were yesterday destroyed by an inferno that gutted the tyre section of the popular Bedwell Market in Calabar.
Most affected were the tyre shops along Harcourt Street by Bedwell street which were all razed by the fire that started on Saturday morning. Our reporter who later visited the scene said over 10 shops and a tyre warehouse were razed while scores were injured in their bid to put the fire under control.
The cause of the fire could not be ascertained by CrossRiverWatch as at press time but some of the traders who spoke with our reporter blamed the incident on poor electricity supply to the market by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHEDC.
They said men of the Fire Service arrived over three hours after the inferno has wrecked havoc complaining as usual about unavailability of a vehicle.
One of the traders who was still lamenting the loss of her wares said it was the airport fire station that came to the rescue of those who were able to manage and save anything from their shops.