No fewer than 15 shops housing furniture and household items were razed down during a fire outbreak at the popular timber market in Mile 4, Rumueme, Obia-Akpor local government area of Rivers state. Goods worth millions of naira were lost to the inferno, as shop owners scampered around to quench the raging fire. The cause of the fire was not known as different vendors narrated different versions of what could have led to the fire. A trader claimed the fire started from the shop of a foam vendor, who called in the services of a welder. According to him, sparks of light from the welding machine ignited a fire that spread and burnt the other shops. No casualty was recorded.