Over 500 Shops Destroyed as Fire Sweeps Through Kano Market

A massive fire has gutted more than 500 shops at the Shuwaki Market in Gari Local Government Area of Kano State, leaving traders counting heavy losses.

The Kano State Fire Service confirmed the incident, which occurred around 3:25 p.m. on Wednesday, saying it destroyed about 529 stalls out of the roughly 1,000 temporary structures in the market.

According to the Service’s spokesman, ACFO Saminu Yusif Abdullahi, the blaze broke out within a large section of the market measuring approximately 3,000 by 2,500 feet.

“The crew on duty from Danbatta Fire Station went to the scene of the incident. On arrival, they found a market of about 3,000 x 2,500 ft with about 1,000 temporary stalls, where about 529 were burnt to the ground,” Abdullahi said in a statement.

The Fire Service said its team from Danbatta Fire Station was dispatched immediately after a distress call from Commander Abdulmalik Muhammed of the Gari Fire Station.

Firefighters battled the blaze using a fire jet from Comm 9, eventually bringing it under control and preventing it from spreading to other parts of the market.

Although no lives were reported lost, property worth millions of naira was destroyed.

Preliminary investigations suggest that drunk individuals residing within the market premises may have caused the fire, the Service added.

Authorities say a full investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the incident and assess the extent of the damage.