Some firefighters have escaped lynching by victims and hoodlums, who were angry that they came after an inferno had completely destroyed over 200 shops in Rivers.

The fire was said to have engulfed the popularly Ojoto market in the Mile 2 area of Diobu in Port Harcourt on Thursday night destroying traders’ goods and properties worth millions.

It was gathered that when the incident started, the victims cried to the state fire service but could not get the desired response following logistic problems.

But when the team of the federal fire service eventually arrived the scene, hoodlums and victims attempted to lynch them but the police quickly dispatch patrol vans of operatives to rescue them.

A human rights activist, Prince Wiro, particularly commended the Police Public Relations Officer, SP. Grace Iringe-Koko for immediately contacting officers of the Azikiwe Divisional Police Headquarters, that came to the scene of the incident to rescue the firefighters.

“If not for the police, hoodlums would have lynched the federal fire service personnel, who came to the scene after the state fire service failed to respond to distress calls. The police rescued them and took them to their station”, he said.

Some eyewitnesses said the fire came from an electric spark when the public power supply was restored at night.

But others claimed attempts by some people to cook in the market might have ignited the fire. (The Nation)