Fire guts popular market in Nasarawa, destroys goods worth millions

An inferno has destroyed an undisclosed number of shops at the popular Masaka Market in the Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, with goods worth millions of naira going up in flames.

The incident, according to an eyewitness, started from a commercial bathroom, commonly known as “kidan wanka,” and spread to other shops around 11:45 pm on Friday night.

It was gathered that the multi-million naira shops, particularly the sections selling perishable items and electronics, were completely engulfed by the fire.

One of the traders whose shop was destroyed, Musa Hudu, said that the fire had shattered his plans to expand his business in the coming months.

He lamented that the incident started unexpectedly when everyone had already retired to their homes for the night, and no one could pinpoint the cause of the fire.

“For now, no one can say exactly how many shops were destroyed. The situation was tragic because we couldn’t save any of the items due to the intense heat,” he said.

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“Our businesses, which we rely on to support our families, have been brought to a standstill. We feed our families from what we sell, and now everything has been reduced to ashes in a matter of hours.”

He added, “Where do we start from? Our hopes and plans have been shattered. We are appealing to both the federal and state governments for assistance during this difficult time. We also urge well-meaning individuals and NGOs to support us.”

Another trader, John Samuel, expressed his shock, saying no one expected such a disaster, especially during the festive season. He stated that they watched helplessly as the fire raged, with firefighters not arriving until around 2:00 am on Saturday—by which time most of the shops had already been destroyed.

“The few shops that were unaffected by the fire are few in number. The lack of fire services in Karu LGA is a major factor contributing to the enormous loss we’ve suffered. I urge the government to ensure that fire service personnel, properly equipped, are posted to every market in the state,” he added.

Confirming the incident, the Director of the Nasarawa State Fire Service, Builder Ombogus-Joshua, said his team received a distress call at 11:45 pm on Friday.

However, he lamented that their vehicle had broken down, and no other vehicle was available to transport the firefighters to the scene in time, which delayed their arrival.

“Investigations are ongoing, and once completed, we will determine the exact number of shops destroyed,” he added.

It should be noted that a similar incident occurred on December 5, 2024, when a fire broke out at the Tailoring Section of the Modern Market in Lafia, the state capital, destroying at least 30 shops.

Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State House of Assembly has recently passed a bill to establish the Nasarawa State Fire and Rescue Service Agency, aimed at providing firefighting equipment and improving fire safety in the state.

The Nasarawa Speaker of the House, Danladi Jatau, announced the bill’s passage during proceedings in Lafia, explaining that the law would equip firefighters to tackle emergencies more effectively.