An early morning fire on Tuesday razed a two-story building housing the Onitsha main market Police Station and shops selling lace fabrics.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that firefighters battled for hours to contain the inferno as some of the traders salvaged their goods while others watched in tears as the fire consumed their shops.
Spokesman of Anambra Command of the Police, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said firefighters and policemen were on ground at the Onitsha market to control the fire and prevent looting.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Director, Anambra Fire Service, Mr Martin Agbili, was unsuccessful as he neither answered calls nor replied the text messages sent to his cell phone.