A fire outbreak has gutted the Singer Market in Kano, leaving seven persons missing and destroying hundreds of shops in one of the city’s major commercial hubs.
Properties worth over N5 billion were lost in the inferno, according to the market’s Chairman, Alhaji Junaid Zakari, who described the incident as one of the worst tragedies in the market’s history.
The fire, which broke out on Saturday evening, raged into Sunday morning and affected more than 1,000 businesses.
Zakari told the News Agency of Nigeria in Kano on Sunday that four residential buildings housing small-scale businesses were completely razed, while goods, equipment and other valuables were burnt to ashes, crippling the livelihoods of hundreds of families.
He said seven persons were declared missing as of the time of filing this report, adding that efforts were ongoing to determine their whereabouts.
Emergency responders and security agencies, he noted, are working to unravel the cause of the fire, which authorities have yet to officially determine.
Describing the incident as unforgettable in the history of the market, Zakari stressed the urgent need for support to enable affected traders rebuild their businesses.
He, however, commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for visiting the scene while the fire was still raging, saying the swift response demonstrated concern and solidarity with the victims.
Some affected traders also recounted heavy losses.
Alhaji Isa Abubakar, a shop owner, said he lost goods worth over N200 million.
“From God we come, to Him we shall return,” he said. “It is heartbreaking to see goods worth billions of naira destroyed by fire.”
Another trader, Musa Ibrahim, said he lost goods valued at more than N340 million.
“The fire had consumed everything we had,” he said, pointing to the remains of his shop.
Meanwhile, affected traders continued to salvage what remained of their properties as investigations into the cause of the inferno continued.