A massive fire gutted 44 shops at the popular Singa Market in Kano State early Monday, sending shoppers and traders into panic.
The blaze, which reportedly broke out around 5:00 a.m., was confirmed by Kano State Fire Service’s Public Relations Officer, ACFO Saminu Yusif Abdullahi. Firefighters were alerted by Mubarak Muhammad, who reported the incident to the central control room.
“On arrival, our team found a one-storey building, Alhaji Abdulmunafi Yunusa House, measuring 150 by 150 feet completely engulfed in flames,” Abdullahi said.
The News Chronicle gathered that the fire destroyed 25 temporary shops at the front and 19 upper-floor stores.
According to reports, firefighters contained the blaze, preventing it from spreading to 24 other upper-floor shops and all ground-floor outlets.
Abdullahi revealed that poor road access, due to trailers blocking the route, delayed the response. The operation was led by Fire Service Director Alhaji Sani Anas.
Preliminary investigations suggest the fire was caused by an electrical fault. The building, managed by Ambassador Garba Ibrahim Mai Maggie, relied on a single switch, which was reportedly mismanaged, with the fire suspected to have started in the temporary shops.
