Shops razed in fire outbreak at Gombe Timber Market

By Rabilu Abubakar, Gombe A massive fire has engulfed the Timber Market in Gombe, destroying property worth millions of naira. The inferno, which reportedly started in the wee hours of Wednesday, quickly spread through clusters of shops containing wood, machinery, and other highly flammable materials. Preliminary information from traders and residents suggests that the fire […]

By Rabilu Abubakar, Gombe

A massive fire has engulfed the Timber Market in Gombe, destroying property worth millions of naira.

The inferno, which reportedly started in the wee hours of Wednesday, quickly spread through clusters of shops containing wood, machinery, and other highly flammable materials.

Preliminary information from traders and residents suggests that the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault.

Sources say some electrical appliances were left on after the market closed, and when power was restored, it likely ignited the blaze.

By the time firefighters arrived at the scene, the flames had already consumed several structures, leaving traders counting heavy losses and struggling to salvage anything from their shops.

The Gombe Timber Market is one of the state’s major commercial centres and a key revenue source for the government, providing livelihoods for hundreds of artisans, carpenters, and wood merchants.

As of the time of filing this report, officials had not yet released the number of shops affected or the total value of the losses.