Kaduna station market gutted by fire

No fewer than 700 make-shift shops at the popular Station Food Stuff Market in Kaduna have been burnt down in an early morning inferno. The fire incident, which was attributed to a power surge, occurred at about 12 midnight when the traders had retired from the day’s business.

An eyewitness told Channels Television that two people, who were sleeping inside one of the shops, also lost their lives in the fire while goods worth millions of Naira were completely destroyed.

According to reports efforts by the State Fire Service could not save the situation, as the fire razed all the shops and destroyed food items. Only zinc and iron protectors in some shops were the only things in sight at the market, as some owners of the shops gathered, with agony on their faces.

The make-shift shops were made with wood, zinc and other materials that fire can easily burn.

One of the traders, whose shop was affected, told Channels Television’s correspondent that the fire incident could have been averted if the previous government had listened to their demand for permanent blocks of shops to be constructed in the market, instead of the make-shift shops.

“The make-shift shop can easily be gutted by fire,” he said.