Fire guts Sokoto Old Market

Fire destroys Sokoto Old Market. File photo of a fire scene

Dozens of shops containing assorted food stuff, cooking oil, detergents and other household items were consumed by the fire.

A similar incident occurred on July 24, 2016 at the textile section of the market.

The Head of Operations, Sokoto State Fire Service, Mr Mustapha Mohammed, told NAN that ” the inferno started at around 9pm yesterday ”.

” But we were able to put it out in about two and half hours, with the assistance of the affected traders and other Samaritans.

“There was no loss of life. A fireman suffered a dislocation in his right leg but he is responding to treatment.

” The cause of the fire is not yet known, but, there was no public power supply when the inferno started.”

Mohammed stated that the department would conduct thorough investigations to unravel the cause of the fire.

A cross section of the affected traders told NAN that ”we have resigned our fate to God.”

Mohammad Chika, one of the affected traders, called for assistance to enable the traders recoup their losses.

”We are appealing for an urgent support from the state and Federal Government, as well as other well-meaning Nigerians,” he told NAN.

NAN observed that the reconstruction work was still on-going at the site of the 2016 incident.

*Updated at 10.00 am on Saturday.
(NAN)