No fewer than 30 permanent shops and 55 temporary stalls were destroyed when a fire gutted parts of Kasuwar Yan Katako, Rijiyar Lemo, in Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano State on Wednesday morning.
The Kano State Fire Service said the incident occurred at about 4:28 a.m., following a distress call from Kabiru Nafi’u reporting a fire outbreak at the timber market.
In a statement, the Public Relations Officer of the service, ACFO Saminu Yusif Abdullahi, said, “On arrival, our men found a timber market measuring about 500 by 500 feet engulfed in flames. About 30 permanent shops and 55 temporary shops were completely burnt.”
Firefighters from Dawanau, Rijiyar Zaki, and Bompai fire stations were immediately mobilised, and three fire trucks were deployed to contain the blaze. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Barely four minutes later, at about 4:32 a.m., the service responded to another fire incident at Zamson Filling Station along Ibrahim Taiwo Road in Fagge Local Government Area. A petrol tanker belonging to the station, with registration number AA 12 XD, caught fire during offloading.
Abdullahi said, “The fire slightly affected parts of the tanker truck, but through swift intervention, a significant portion of the petroleum product and parts of the tanker were saved.” Two fire trucks were deployed for the operation.”
The Fire Service urged filling station operators and fuel tanker drivers to strictly adhere to safety regulations during fuel offloading and handling of flammable materials. It also advised traders to ensure all electrical installations are properly checked before closing shops to prevent fire outbreaks.
The agency emphasised the importance of early reporting of emergencies to minimise loss of lives and property.