From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The popular Watt market in Calabar, Cross River State has been gutted by fire, destroying goods worth several millions of Naira.
An eyewitness report claimed that the fire, which started around 11:30 p.m. last night and lasted till this morning, destroyed goods worth several millions of naira.
The fire was said to have started around 2:00 a.m. and affected no fewer than six shops in the shopping complex facing the Hewett section of the market.
Although no life was lost, property and goods worth millions of naira were lost to the inferno.
Confirming the incident, the Commanding Officer, Calabar Command of the Federal Fire Service, Olumayowa Olomola, disclosed that the fire incident was caused by a power surge in one of the shopping malls at the market.
Olomola, who could not give an estimate of the goods destroyed in the affected shops, however, said the shops were well stocked.
She noted that but not for the timely response from her team, the fire could have affected more shops.