Rivers State: Mile One Market On Fire, Traders Devastated, Goods Worth Millions Of Naira Destroyed !!

The famous Mile One Market in Mile One Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was razed by fire in the morning, following a fire outbreak which started in the early hours of today, Tuesday, December 17.
Some of the eyewitnesses said the fire may have started around 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. By 3:40 a.m., the rampaging fire had mercilessly gutted a large portion of the market.

Some firefighters from the Rivers State Fire Service were present as at press time. The fire seems to have surpassed their skill and equipment as it, with multiple explosions, gradually and steadily kept moving to other parts of the market and buildings along the Ikwerre road.

Hundreds of traders, sympathizers and onlookers flooded the area. Some traders were rushed to the hospital for medical attention after discovering that their shops and goods have been destroyed. To worsen the situation, a driver who stole someone's car loaded with goods while trying to escape from the police patrol van ran over a boy, injuring him badly.

Goods worth millions of naira were destroyed in the accident. Some residents of the area report gunshots and siren sounds, others say there were explosion sounds as cartons of insecticides and perfumes were popping due to intense heat.