I lost 30 shops to Gombe market fire – Trader

Property worth over 500 million naira have been destroyed in a fire outbreak at the fairly used building materials section of Kasuwar Katako in Gombe. The incident, which started late Tuesday night, continued burning for several hours with traders counting heavy losses. The fire razed over 30 shops, consuming goods and business materials. Traders and […]

Property worth over 500 million naira have been destroyed in a fire outbreak at the fairly used building materials section of Kasuwar Katako in Gombe.

The incident, which started late Tuesday night, continued burning for several hours with traders counting heavy losses.

The fire razed over 30 shops, consuming goods and business materials.

Traders and eyewitnesses said the fire spread rapidly, consuming stacks of building materials estimated at over 500 million naira.

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A victim, Abdullahi Laja, who spoke with Daily Trust, said all 30 shops affected belong to him.

Laja, who is the chairman of the Scrap Dealers and Auctioneers Association in the state, said the shops were stocked with building materials, timber, scrap metals, old machinery, and imported items.

“The quantity of building materials alone was huge. I have over 100 workers under me, and this tragedy has affected all of us,” he added.

He criticised what he called the negligence of the fire service, insisting that an early response would have significantly reduced the losses.

He said, “We contacted the fire stations in Dukku and Bauchi Road, but both said they had no water. I even went to the Gombe State University fire unit, but they insisted they needed clearance before responding.

“It was only after the Chairman of Gombe LGA, Barrister Sani Ahmad Haruna, intervened that they sent a vehicle. By then, the situation had already gotten out of control.”

When Daily Trust visited the market at about 5pm on Wednesday, the fire was still not fully contained, with traders and residents helping victims to clear the site.

Some business partners of the affected traders and sympathisers appealed to the government and well-meaning Nigerians to support the victims.

“We need urgent intervention so the victims can return to work and continue their lives,” one of them said.

Efforts by our correspondent to get comments from the Gombe State Fire Service were unsuccessful.