Fire Kills Two, Destroys 700 Make-shift Shops In Kaduna

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 ChannelsTelevision’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.