A devastating fire has ravaged an undisclosed number of shops at the bustling Masaka Market in the Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, destroying goods worth millions of naira.
An eyewitness said the fire broke out at approximately 11:45 pm on Friday, originating from a commercial bathroom known locally as “kidan wanka” before rapidly spreading to neighboring shops.
The blaze completely engulfed several multi-million naira businesses, particularly those selling perishable goods and electronics. One of the affected traders, Musa Hudu, shared the emotional toll the disaster had taken on him. His shop was entirely destroyed, along with his hopes of expanding his business in the coming months.
“The fire started when everyone had already gone home for the night, and we couldn’t save anything because of the intense heat,” Hudu explained. “It’s heartbreaking—our livelihoods, which we depend on to support our families, are now reduced to ashes. We don’t know where to begin again.”
He appealed to both the federal and state governments, as well as non-governmental organizations, to provide urgent assistance to those affected.
John Samuel, another trader, expressed his disbelief at the disaster, especially given that it occurred during the festive season. He noted that firefighters didn’t arrive on the scene until around 2:00 am on Saturday, by which time much of the market had already been destroyed.
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“The few shops that remained untouched are very few. The lack of proper fire services in Karu LGA contributed to this massive loss,” Samuel said. “We need well-equipped fire personnel stationed in every market to prevent such tragedies in the future.”
Confirming the incident, Builder Ombogus-Joshua, the Director of the Nasarawa State Fire Service, stated that the fire service team received the distress call at 11:45 pm on Friday. However, he noted that the delay in responding was due to a breakdown of their vehicle, which caused a delay in their arrival at the scene.
“Investigations are underway to determine the exact number of shops destroyed,” Ombogus-Joshua said.
This fire follows a similar incident on December 5, 2024, when a fire broke out at the Tailoring Section of the Modern Market in Lafia, the state capital, destroying at least 30 shops.
In response to growing concerns over fire safety, the Nasarawa State House of Assembly recently passed a bill to establish the Nasarawa State Fire and Rescue Service Agency. The agency is aimed at improving firefighting capabilities across the state by equipping fire personnel and enhancing emergency response.
Speaker of the House, Danladi Jatau, announced the passage of the bill, emphasizing that it would better prepare the state to handle future fire emergencies.
Crediblenewsng.com
