Traders are now counting their losses as a result of fire that gutted a section of a popular market in Ebonyi State, Eke Market Afikpo.
According to some of the traders, goods worth millions of naira were destroyed by the inferno.
It was gathered that no life was lost.
As the fire outbreak raged, it was gathered that traders, who were caught up in surprises made efforts to salvage their goods without success, because of its intensity.
Reports also disclosed that efforts to put out the fire by the Ebonyi State Fire Service Station in Afikpo Council Area failed.
However, youths in the area mobilised and stopped the fire from spreading.
The Chairman of Afikpo North LGA, Oby Oko-Enyim, visited the scene of the incident on Wednesday.
The Oko-Enyim, who arrived at the scene of the fire incident to ascertain the level of damage, sympathised with the victims.
She said, “So far as there is life, there is hope. Don’t lose hope or give up because of this. You shall all overcome this setback.”
The council boss was taken around the scene of the fire by the Chairman of Afikpo Market Traders Association, Mr Johnson Oka.
According to Oka, many of the traders lost everything to the inferno.
He called on the state government to come to the aid of the victims.