On Monday night, a devastating fire broke out at the Damaturu GSM market in Yobe State, resulting in the destruction of numerous shops and properties worth millions of naira.Â
The fire, which began around 6:23 am, persisted for hours before the combined efforts of firefighters, security personnel, and the local community brought it under control.
This market, commonly known as Kasuwar Jagol, is situated in the Abashawa Ward area of Damaturu. It serves as a crucial business hub for thousands of traders and artisans in the region.
Sadly, over thirty shops were completely consumed by the flames during this unfortunate incident.
DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, the Public Relations Officer of the Yobe State Police Command, confirmed the occurrence.
He reassured the public that security forces and firefighting vehicles were swiftly deployed to the scene to contain the situation.
Despite the extensive damage to the market, the fortunate outcome was that no lives were lost.
Abdulkarim mentioned, “The fire is gradually being controlled by the firefighting team, while over 30 shops were completely burnt down.”
He emphasized that a comprehensive assessment would be conducted to gauge the full extent of the damage inflicted on the market.
Baba Musa, an eyewitness and mobile phone vendor in the market, shared that the fire originated in one shop and quickly spread to engulf neighboring shops. Sadly, many traders lost their goods in this devastating inferno.
To ensure order and prevent opportunistic looting, security personnel were deployed in the market.
The authorities expressed their commitment to conducting a thorough assessment to ascertain the extent of the damage caused by this tragic incident.