A fire outbreak at the Singer Market in Kano has destroyed properties estimated at over N5 billion, affecting more than 1,000 businesses and leaving seven persons missing.
Junaid Zakari, chairman of the market, disclosed this on Sunday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria.
Zakari described the incident as one of the worst tragedies in the market’s history, revealing that four residential buildings housing small-scale businesses were razed.
“Goods, equipment, and other valuables were completely burnt, crippling the livelihoods of hundreds of families.
He said seven persons had been declared missing as of the time of filing this report, adding that investigations were ongoing to determine their whereabouts and confirm whether they were alive or dead.
Emergency responders and security agencies, he noted, were working to establish the cause of the fire.
Zakari stressed the urgent need for assistance to help affected traders rebuild their businesses, describing the inferno as a devastating event that would long be remembered in the market’s history.
He commended Abba Kabir Yusuf, Governor of Kano State, for visiting the scene while the fire was still raging, saying the swift response showed solidarity with the victims.
Authorities have yet to officially determine the cause of the blaze, as traders continued efforts to salvage what remained of their goods.
A shop owner, Isa Abubakar, said he lost merchandise worth over N200 million.
“From God we come, and to Him we shall return. It is heartbreaking to see goods worth billions of naira destroyed by fire,” he said, while also appreciating the governor’s visit.
Another trader, Musa Ibrahim, said he lost goods valued at over N340 million.
“The fire consumed everything we had,” he lamented.
