EKO HOT BLOG reports that the blaze, which ignited around 9:30 pm, persisted into the early hours of Friday, leaving a trail of devastation. Firefighters from the Nasarawa State Fire Service struggled to contain the flames, hampered by refuse heaps in and around the market that delayed their response.
Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene, with extreme heat forcing the fire crew to retreat multiple times.
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One victim, Muse Abdullahi, who lost 40 new sewing machines and three family-owned shops, recounted the ordeal:
“The fire started around 9:30 pm, and no one could determine its cause.
Most of the affected shops were wooden structures, which fueled the flames. Alongside the tailoring section, shops selling shoes and clothes were also destroyed.”
Abdullahi criticized the fire service for their delayed response, expressing frustration that the damage could have been minimized with quicker intervention.
Director of the Nasarawa State Fire Service, Builder Ombogus-Joshua, confirmed the incident, emphasizing that indiscriminate refuse dumping around the market hindered firefighting efforts.
“The fire destroyed properties worth millions of naira and continued into Friday morning,” Ombogus-Joshua stated.
He urged market traders and residents to maintain cleanliness and adhere to safety measures to avert similar disasters, while assuring improved readiness from his team in the future.
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