By Editor
An inferno that started about 2:45pm has left shop owners directly opposite the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) in ruins.
The fire, was said to have started from one of the shops dealing in hospital and laboratory equipment, and later spread to other shops within the building.
Addressing Journalists, one of the shop owners who operates a boutique, Mr. Sunday Madubuko said about 2.45pm, a shop next to his was on fire, as he was told by the shop sale’s girl.
“The sale’s girl ran to my shop telling me that fire is burning in our office.
“I told her I don’t have fire extinguisher. Before I knew it, the fire extended to my boutique.
“All know is that, the fire started from the laboratory shop and spreads to other shops.
“The cause of the fire, I still don’t know. What I lost in the inferno is goods worth over N20 million,” Madubuko lamented.
However, it was unfortunate that men of the Federal Fire Service, Edo State Fire Service, Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport Benin, the University of Benin Fire Service (UNIBEN) and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), could not put off the inferno as it has already taken over the entire four shops.