Two Killed as Fire Guts 700 Make-Shift Shops in Kaduna

No fewer than 700 make-shift shops at the popular Station Food Stuff Market in Kaduna, north-central Nigeria, have been burnt down in an early morning inferno.

The fire incident, which was attributed to a power surge, occurred at about 12 midnight when the traders had retired from the day’s business.

An eyewitness said that two people, who were sleeping inside one of the shops, also lost their lives in the fire while goods worth millions of Naira were completely destroyed.

Efforts by the State Fire Service could not save the situation, as the fire razed all the shops and destroyed food items. Only zinc and iron protectors in some shops were the only things in sight at the market, as some owners of the shops gathered, with agony on their faces.

The make-shift shops were made with wood, zinc and other materials that fire can easily burn.

One of the traders, whose shop was affected, said that the fire incident could have been averted if the previous government had listened to their demand for permanent blocks of shops to be constructed in the market, instead of the make-shift shops.

“The make-shift shop can easily be gutted by fire,” he said.

The Station Market is popularly known as a place to buy cheap food items and fruits in Kaduna, the state capital.

The incident is likely to affect food supply in the state capital, as food items and other consumables such as chicken, fish, water melon were destroyed.

security operatives have been deployed to the market to maintain law and other