Traders at the popular Singa Market in Kano State are reeling from financial losses following a devastating fire that raged for nearly 24 hours.
The fire, which originated in a provision store at Gidan Gashash on Saturday afternoon, spread rapidly across the market, obliterating goods and property valued at billions of naira.
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The spokesperson for the State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi, confirmed that firefighters were deployed immediately.
The official, however, noted that poor access roads and traffic gridlock severely hindered the firefighters’ operations.
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“The fire broke out in the Gidan Gashash area. While our personnel and vehicles were mobilised promptly, the lack of accessible routes and heavy human traffic made it difficult to reach the heart of the blaze in time,” Mr Abdullahi explained.
During a visit to the site, Governor Abba Yusuf described the incident as a monumental tragedy.
The governor expressed deep sympathy for the victims and assured them of state support while calling on the federal government to provide swift intervention.
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The governor also called for improved safety protocols, noting that this is the second fire to hit the market this month. A previous blaze on 2 February destroyed large warehouses at the same market.
The atmosphere at the market on late Saturday was one of profound grief as traders sifted through heaps of charred metal and ash.
For many, the fire did not just destroy inventory; it erased decades of hard-earned capital, one of them only identified as Alhaji Musa a wholesale grocer, stood frozen before the ruins of his shop.
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“I watched my life’s work turn to smoke in hours,” he lamented. “We tried to salvage what we could, but the heat was unbearable, and the smoke was suffocating.
Another trader, Ibrahim Wada, said: “Before the time the path was cleared for the fire trucks, there was nothing left but charcoal.”
Beyond the physical loss of goods, a sense of insecurity pervaded the ruins. While many sympathisers rushed to help, others took advantage of the chaos to loot the few items that escaped the flames.
“It is a double tragedy,” said Baba Habu, a trader who specialises in bulk detergent. “You are fighting the fire while watchful of some miscreants whose intentions were to loot.”
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