Fire Guts Abuja Furniture Market

There was shock and tears as fire engulfed Kugbo Furniture Market in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital and set ablaze goods and porperties worth millions of naira.

The cause of the fire is suspected to be from a spark emanating from an electrical appliances store in one of the shops in the market.

The fire raged for hours and had started at about 11.00 p.m last night when shops had been closed for the day.Shops were burnt to cinders,as the fir fighters fought to contain the fire.

The traders,mostrly Igbo traders were in shock at the sight of the destroyed market who blamed the fire Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) to respond to a request by members of the Market Association to expand the market.

Kugbo Furniture Market is considered the biggest furniture market in Abuja metropolis. Many traders blamed congestion at the market for the recurrent fire outbreaks. The market was once located at Nyanya-Abuja Express Road before its relocation.

Ishaya Shonuku, an official of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), attributed the fire to some traders who leave their electrical appliances plugged in overnight. He described the fire as unfortunate and said it had created a monumental loss for the traders. He said that this was not the first time the market would be gutted fire, adding that three fire incidents had been recorded in the past. He regretted that no safety precaution measures were ever adopted.