Fire Destroys Shops, Goods Worth Millions at Abuja Furniture Market

A fire outbreak at the popular Kugbo Furniture Market along the Abuja-Keffi Expressway has destroyed several shops and goods worth millions of naira.

The fire reportedly started on Friday after an electrical spark and quickly spread through sections of the market, consuming furniture, equipment and other valuable items.

An eyewitness, Mrs Mary Aniekan, said traders raised the alarm and made frantic efforts to put out the fire while trying to salvage their belongings.

“I was in my shop when we saw the fire and people running to safety, while others were trying to put the fire out but they could not. The fire started when AEDC restored electricity,” she said.

According to Aniekan, firefighters arrived at the scene, but their water supply was exhausted before the fire could be completely extinguished.

The blaze continued to spread, destroying several shops and leaving traders watching helplessly as their businesses and properties were consumed.

Several affected traders were later seen searching through the remains of their shops and attempting to recover whatever they could.

There was no reported loss of life, but the fire caused extensive damage to property and left several business owners counting their losses.

Firefighters and other emergency responders were deployed to the market to battle the inferno and prevent it from spreading to adjoining shops and structures.

The exact value of the goods destroyed has not been officially established, while the cause of the fire is yet to be independently confirmed by relevant emergency authorities.

However, the eyewitness account linked the outbreak to an electrical spark following the restoration of electricity.

The incident has heightened concerns among traders, with affected business owners calling for urgent assistance to assess the damage and help them recover from the losses.