Fire destroys N1.1bn property in Gombe timber, scrap markets

Property worth about N1.1 billion has been destroyed in two fire incidents at the Gombe timber and scrap markets within one month. The latest fire occurred on Monday night at the Kasuwan Katako (Timber Market), where goods valued at over N600m were destroyed. The Chairman of the Timber Sellers Association, Mr Mohammed Ahmadu, said the […]

Property worth about N1.1 billion has been destroyed in two fire incidents at the Gombe timber and scrap markets within one month.
The latest fire occurred on Monday night at the Kasuwan Katako (Timber Market), where goods valued at over N600m were destroyed.
The Chairman of the Timber Sellers Association, Mr Mohammed Ahmadu, said the fire started around 7pm and razed down no fewer than 60 shops stocked with timber and other building materials.
He appealed to the state and federal governments for urgent assistance to help the affected traders to support their families.
During a visit to the market, Deputy Governor Manasseh Jatau expressed sympathy with the victims and assured that the government would assess the damage and provide the necessary support.
He urged the traders to pay attention to electrical safety, noting that another section of the market had been gutted by fire barely three weeks earlier.
Daily Trust reports that earlier, on November 18, 2025, fire destroyed property worth over N500m at the Scrap/Timber Market, razing down more than 30 shops and affecting over 100 traders. The Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Abdullahi Haruna Abdullahi, said assessments were ongoing, adding that the fire was suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault.