Victims of Bayelsa fire outbreak beg for help

Patrick Nmerigwe and his wife are in a deep trouble. Their world collapsed recently. The husband and wife have not stopped crying. Fire outbreak brought thick gloom and darkness into their lives. The fire has turned them into beggars.
Their business, which hitherto, thrived at the popular Swali Market in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, has been turned into sand and ashes. The midnight fire left nothing for them to start life again. A once prosperous family is now a shadow of itself.
The downcast Nmerigwe, who could not control his emotions, broke down in tears as he relieved the ugly event of Weenesday last week. Speaking to the Niger Delta Report (NDR), he pointed at the debris of his goods, shook his head and shuddered in silence. He was a known dealer on frozen foods such as chicken and fish.
“In my shop, I had 12 freezers, four air conditioners, one 5000watts stabilizer, seven 2000watts stabilizers, generators and many other things. The chicken and fish worth about N2.5million. Each freezer now cost N280,000. Everything I lost here amounts to about N7million”, he muttered tearfully.
In fact, Nmerigwe is lost. The fire also consumed all the goods in his wife’s shop. His wife was also in his line of business. He said the fire started at other shops and spread to their stalls.
On the fateful day, at about 1am, he said a driver in the business of delivering goods to him woke him up from sleep through his telephone call. The caller informed him about the incident and he along with his wife raced down to the scene.
“But before we got here, everything was gone. It happened very fast. I don’t know the cause of the fire. All I know is that it came from other shops to my own”, he said.
Some persons affected by the fire had started rebuilding their shops. But Nmerigwe could only watch with his hand in his chins. “I don’t even know where to start from”, he cried.
“I have nothing left to start again. I am a father of three children. My first child is nine years old. We came to Bayelsa in 2007. It’s my wife’s shop. We have been struggling before God made us bigger. I don’t have anyone to call for help.
“I am begging everyone who feels touched by this to please help me just for the sake of God. It’s not easy at all and we have practically nothing to start all over because we just spent almost everything to buy the frozen foods before this happened. Please help me with anything you can just for us to start over again”, he said.
With a swollen face, his wife, Chidimma could only beg for help. She said she started her business two years ago. “I don’t even know where to start but I wish to start again. Please help me. I need your help to start again.
“This is our source of livelihood. We have lost everything in this fire outbreak. Bearing this is painful but I don’t have a choice”, she begged.
Indeed, neighbours are canvassing support for the devastated family. Mrs. Peter Igbe, who trades at the market described the condition of the victims particularly Nmerigwe as terrible. She begged people to come to their aide.
She said: “A neighbour called me and screamed that there is fire but before we came here, everything was burnt. Some of these people who are victims have helpers and others don’t.
“The Patrick’s family are very wonderful people ,very nice and gentle. It is painful that they are in serious difficulty as this. Please whosoever can help should help them. It is not easy to be in this kind of situation”.
Source: The Nation Nigeria