Ughelli Market Fire: Council boss failed to act on our warning to eject traders under power line – BEDC

By Ovasa Ogaga,—

The management of Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, said the fire incident at Otovwodo market in Ughelli, headquarters of Ughelli North local government area of Delta State could have been avoided if the council chairman and other relevant authorities acted on its earlier warning to eject traders from the power line.

Recall properties worth millions of naira were Sunday destroyed as a result of a spark from a faulty 100mm high tension wire which fell on a section of the Otovwodo market in Ughelli, where some black marketers sells Petro (PMS) and  kerosene, (AGO).

The incident which also damaged an electricity substation in the area has also plunged the entire Ughelli metropolises and environs into darkness.

The wire according to witnesses at the scene of the incident had fallen on a section of the market used in the storage of locally refined petroleum products including fuel and kerosene by suspected oil bunkers operating in the market.

Speaking after an assessing the extend of damages done by the fire, the Ughelli Business Manager of BEDC, Bethel Ebiuwhe stated that though the company was aware of the illegal trading activities under the high tension, the company had written to the relevant authorities including the council chairman to eject the traders from the spot, but no action was taken.

According to him; “The council chairman is aware of the trading taking place under this substation and the possible danger inherent. We also wrote to the relevant authorities to warn the traders and evacuate them from the spot but no action was taken.”

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On the extent of damage caused as a result of the incident, the Ughelli BEDC operations and maintenance officer, Precious Dibie, said: “The fire affected the two feeder lines in Ughelli, and because of this, blackout has been imposed on the whole of Ughelli until materials are provided for the commencement of repairs on the damaged facility.

“For now, I cannot tell how long the blackout will last.”

However, the Ughelli North local government Chairman, Hon. Godwin Adode in what many stakeholders have described as afterthought, have banned trading in the affected area as at the time Advocate visited the scene on Tuesday.

Adode had on Monday attributed the cause of fire to a spark from a fallen cable on a petrol  which ignited the fire, admonished traders who are of the habit of trading under electric installation desist from it henceforth.

He stated that on several occasion, he has alerted the traders carrying out business on power line of the danger involved in such hazard environment and that with this sad development anybody find culpable will face the wrath of the law.