Port Harcourt City Local Government Council has promised to assess the losses suffered by traders affected by the fire at Creek Road Market Extension and consider ways of supporting them.
The council chairman, Allwell Ihunda, made the promise on Thursday when he visited the market to inspect the damage caused by the fire, which destroyed goods and cash worth millions of naira.
Ihunda said a committee would be constituted to identify the affected traders and determine the extent of their losses before the council takes further action.
He sympathised with the victims and expressed relief that no life was lost, stressing that damaged property could be replaced.
The chairman also commended the Rivers State Fire Service, police and other security agencies for responding to the incident and helping to prevent looting.
He urged traders and residents to take fire prevention measures seriously, especially during the dry season, including switching off electrical appliances and repairing faulty cables.
Ihunda said preliminary information indicated that the fire might have started after a trader allegedly left a fire burning while attempting to dry fish. He stressed that further investigation would be conducted to establish the actual cause.
Some affected traders appealed for government assistance, saying they had lost their means of livelihood.
One trader, Nse Ekanem, said she lost food items worth millions of naira, while another trader reported losing all his goods and ₦950,000 in cash.
Chukuma Oduh, who said he supports 14 children, also appealed for help after losing goods worth millions of naira and remaining indebted to FCMB over a business loan.
