You were an eye-witness to a fire outbreak which completely destroyed the main market in your town. Write an article suitable for publication in a national ...

Model answer: newspaper article

INFERNO REDUCES CENTRAL MARKET TO ASHES

By Chidi Okeke

Disaster struck our town last Tuesday when a raging fire completely destroyed the Central Market, the commercial heartbeat of the community. As an eye-witness, I watched in horror as decades of trade and toil went up in smoke within a few hours.

The fire started at about two o'clock in the afternoon, apparently from a stall where petrol was being sold in the open. Within minutes, the flames leapt from one wooden shed to another, fanned by a strong harmattan wind. Traders screamed and scrambled to rescue their goods, but the fire spread far too quickly. By the time the fire service arrived, the entire market was an inferno. Sadly, the fire fighters could do little, for the nearest hydrant had no water and the narrow lanes made access difficult. When the fire finally died down, nothing was left but smouldering ash and the weeping faces of ruined traders.

This tragedy could have been avoided, and steps must be taken to prevent a recurrence. First, the sale and storage of inflammable substances such as petrol and kerosene inside markets should be strictly prohibited. Secondly, markets should be laid out with wide access roads and functioning fire hydrants so that fire fighters can respond swiftly. Thirdly, fire extinguishers should be provided at strategic points and traders trained in their use. Finally, faulty electrical wiring should be inspected regularly by qualified engineers.

If these measures are put in place, the town will be spared a repeat of this heartbreaking disaster. The authorities must act now, before another market and the livelihoods it supports are lost to the flames.

Key features expected: a catchy headline and by-line; vivid description of the incident; at least three practical preventive measures; formal, impersonal newspaper style; logical paragraphing.