“We just came out from a major setback in our business as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, not knowing that the enemy will visit us soon.
This fire incident has ruined my business totally; where will I start from again. My hope now is in God to come to my rescue.”
This was the cry and lamentation of Mike Eze, one of the spare parts dealers at the Bayelsa Mechanic Village in Yenegoa, the state capital, that was gutted by fire on Sunday night.
Eze said he imported goods a week before the incident to restart business after the harsh effects on businesses due to the COVID-19 lookdown.
He explained that, “At about 03:00am on Sunday I received a call that my shop was burning. I was confused because at that time of the night, you could not even move around, not to talk of coming down to the mechanic village. I was in shock for several hours, but thank God I’m alive. When there is life, there is hope.
“I have lost goods estimated at about N50m. Most of those products, we always buy them on credit. As it stands now, I don’t even know where to start from, but I believe God will show the way. But if there is any way government can come to our aid, we will be very happy.”
Stanley Ejike, a panel beater, said four vehicles he was working on were burnt down and that the owners were already in his neck.
Ejike said the worst of it was that people did not sleep in the mechanic village at night or else they would have detected the fire and quenched it.
He said, “It’s hard to understand. All what I have laboured for over the years have gone in one day. I have spent greater part of my life on this job, and when I was beginning to enjoy, this happened. God knows better, and I believe He will show us a way out.
“More than N15m worth of goods and working tools have gone. Even if somebody gives me work now, I need to borrow equipment. It’s hard for me. It’s just as if the ground should open and swallow me.
“We beg authorities to see if there is any help for us to start over again. All the labour of our lives is gone, we don’t even know what to use and take care of our families. Schools will soon resume, where will the school fees come from?”
The Secretary of the Nigeria Automobile and Technicians Association (NATA) in Bayelsa State, Abdul-Bari Eyinfunjowo, whose shop was also affected, told Daily Trust that 13 vehicles and eight shops with goods worth about N400m were razed down.
Eyinfunjowo said this was the first time such incident would happen in the arena since it was built by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s administration as Governor of Bayelsa State in 2006.
He, however, expressed happiness that it was the rainy season because the incident would have been more destructive it was during the dry season, and then called on the state government to uplift facilities at the mechanic village.
Already, the Unified Non-Indigenes Association (UNA) in Bayelsa has appealed to the state government to urgently assist its members whose goods and property were destroyed by the fire.
The President of the Bayelsa UNA, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, made the appeal at the scene of the fire incident yesterday.
Chief Arthur-Ugwa, who conducted newsmen around the ruins left by the fire, said the assistance would enable the victims to return to business fast and alleviate their suffering.
Mr. Saturday Andrew whose car was among those destroyed, said although it was painful, but that he had to carry on with life since it was not his life that was involved.
He, however, lamented that losing a means of mobility at the moment as things were extremely difficult in the country was a very bitter experience, but expressed hope that God would provide a replacement.
Although most of the technicians and artisans in the mechanic village believe the fire was caused by an electrical fault, the real cause is not yet known.
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Government has constituted a committee to investigate the cause of the fire.
Governor Douye Diri who spoke through his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, during a visit to the scene of the incident, said the committee was headed by the Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment, Hon. Stanley Braboke, and was expected to ascertain the level of damage and suggest measures to forestall future occurrences.
The governor empathised with all those affected and thanked God that no life was lost. He commended the officials of the fire service for their prompt intervention that saved the automobile village from total destruction.
To improve on the response time during emergencies, the governor said fire fighting trucks would be stationed in strategic areas such as Etegwe-Tombia Junction, Igbogene and Swali for quick intervention to save lives and property in the event of any fire incident.
He also announced the state government’s plan to relocate the mechanic village to an appropriate and more conducive location in line with extant environmental laws and best practices.
He said: “As government, we want to empathise with those who have lost property in this unfortunate incident. We thank God that the fire service responded immediately. That is the essence of having the fire service. We are going to look at the possibility of having other stations in close proximity. If the distance was shorter, I am sure more property would have been rescued.
“We are going to look at the possibility of decentralising the fire station, to have more stations across the state capital. This government will try and position fire trucks in strategic locations like Tombia Junction, Igbogene and Swali.”
The Chairman of the Spare Parts Dealers Association at the mechanic village, Mr. Sunday Okoli, who commended the governor for the swift visit and show of sympathy, said the gesture would go a long way to encourage those affected.
Mr. Okoli also appreciated the security operatives for promptly alerting the fire service, as well as helping to secure the scene and its vicinity to avoid theft during the incident.