- Tinubu commiserates
Goods and properties worth millions of naira were on Friday burnt to ashes in the market located in the Karu suburb of the Federal Capital Territory.
The incident left a trail of destruction and loss.
Channels TV reports that as of the time of filing this report, goods and properties worth millions of naira had gone under, leaving traders and shoppers in despair.
The FCT Fire Service with a station in Karu Market responded to the incident. However, it faced challenges in accessing the scene due to the large crowd of people flocking to the area.
Traders, who have lost their wares in the inferno, could be seen wailing uncontrollably over their losses.
“Everything has burnt down. I could not recover anything. This is where we feed from o. Ah, my children’s school fees are there,” one of the traders cried.
“I cannot hold myself, I am in pain – I don’t know if the government can help us. My money that has gone here is over ₦10 million. I am tired and I don’t know where to start,” she cried.
Despite the challenges, soldiers were on the ground to maintain order and ensure the safety of everyone involved.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire may have been caused by an electrical surge, which quickly spread and engulfed parts of the market.
The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, however, it is clear that the fire has left a significant impact on the community.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and officials are working to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the outbreak.
FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), has again underscored the importance of access in firefighting operations.
Acting Director General of FEMD, Florence Wenegieme, issued the advice in the wake of the fire at the old Karu Market, which was engulfed by fire Thursday evening.
According to a statement by the Head of Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, a combined team of the FCT Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, and Julius Berger Fire Service, were on the ground and contained the fire outbreak at the market.
Wenegieme, who was at the incident scene, noted that the fire started at about 6.30 pm.
She informed that the firemen who were activated to the scene on time were however unable to gain access to the market, which is located behind the new market under construction.
“It was the illegal market/ settlement behind the new market under construction that was engulfed by fire. We had enough firetrucks and firemen, but we could not gain access to the market, so we had to break walls to have access to the fire fighting hose, that was what caused the delay in putting out the fire”. She said.
She further stated that the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, adding that investigations were however ongoing.
“No Life was lost to the fire incident, and goods worth millions of naira were destroyed,” she added.
The Nigeria Police, Nigeria Army, and the Civil Defense Corps were also on the ground to ensure crowd control.
Tinubu sympathises with FCT market fire victims
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu expressed shock and deep sadness on Friday over the news of a fire incident that affected sections of Karu Market in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
A statement by presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale disclosed that the fire ripped through a swath of the market, causing destruction to property and valuables.
President Tinubu extended his heartfelt sympathies to all the traders affected by this distressing incident and assured them of his administration’s full support.
He urged caution and emphasized the importance of adhering to essential safety measures to prevent fire outbreaks and other accidents.
