Traders affected by the 31st December 2011 fire disaster at marine base, Port Harcourt the Rivers State Capital have blamed the incident on sabotage.

Some of the traders who spoke to newsmen at the scene of the disaster, while counting their loses, said that they suspected foul play in the entire incident especially against the backdrop that the traders had before the incident received a threat by unknown persons at Amapolo Community over the non-payment of the yearly N150,000 to them.

While noting that they are tired of the incessant fire incidents at the market the traders appealed to the State government to relocate the market to a more convenient place.

Most of the traders who pleaded anonymity would not stop counting their loses which run into millions of  Naira as a result of the Marine Base fire.

But in his view, one of the traders who simply gave his name as Prince Ben said that he lost everything to the fire noting that since 2005, the traders have never witnessed such a fire disaster.

Prince Ben put the total lost at the fire incident at N2.5 million and called for support.

Also speaking, another trader Mr. Mmahuru Emmanuel who is the Chairman Cofin Makers Association, Marine Base Zone described the fire disaster this time around as the worst in the history of fire incidents at the market.

According to him, he lost more than N1 million in the market inferno and stressed the need for government to consider the payment of compensation to the affected traders.

Another trader Mr. Okechukwu Anaeme who claimed that he lost millions of  Naira to the fire, however appealed to government to come to their aid by relocating the market to a more convenient place.

But, the Chairman of the Market Traders Association, Hon. Timunokoro John ruled out sabotage, pointing out that the fire started at a time when the traders have left their shop.