A fire outbreak has ravaged six houses, shops and storage facilities at Kofar Wanbai Market in Kano State.
The fire reportedly started at about 9:43pm on Friday in the Babban Layi area of the Yan Robobi section of the market, according to the Kano State Fire Service.
The agency’s Public Relations Officer, ACFO Saminu Abdullahi, confirmed the incident in a statement released on Saturday.
Abdullahi said the Fire Service received a distress call from one of its officers, Principal Fire Superintendent Usman Idris Fagge, after which firefighters were dispatched from the headquarters and stations in Rijiyar Zaki, Sabon Gari, Government House and Bompai.
He identified the affected properties as Gidan Alhaji Sani, Gidan Sani Muhammad, Gidan Alhaji Kwa Kwa, Gidan Alhaji Shafi’u and Gidan Alhaji Sulaiman.
“Upon arrival, they discovered that approximately six houses, identified as Gidan Alhaji Sani, Gidan Sani Muhammad, Gidan Alhaji Kwa Kwa, Gidan Alhaji Shafi’u and Gidan Alhaji Sulaiman, were affected by the fire,” the statement said.
The affected two-storey building, measuring about 120 by 125 feet, housed plastic shops and storage facilities.
According to the Fire Service, two shops on the ground floor, two shops on the first floor, six stores and four temporary stores on the upper floor were affected.
The agency explained that the fire began on the upper floor and later spread to the lower levels. However, firefighters successfully contained the blaze and stopped it from spreading to other sections of the market.
“The cause of the fire was traced to a solar system,” Abdullahi said.
The Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Alhaji Sani Anas, called on traders and residents to adopt necessary fire-prevention measures.
He urged them to install fire detectors, ensure that functional fire extinguishers are available in their homes and business premises, and adhere strictly to fire-safety regulations.
