Several shops and goods worth millions of naira have been destroyed following a fire outbreak at the Kugbo Furniture Market, along the Abuja-Keffi expressway
The incident, which occurred on Friday, reportedly began shortly after electricity was restored in the area An electrical spark suspected to have triggered the blaze.
Witnesses said traders were caught off guard by the fire and immediately raised the alarm as the flames spread across parts of the market
“I was in my shop when we saw the fire and people running to safety, while others were trying to put the fire out but they could not The fire started when the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) restored electricity,” said a witness.
The witness said firefighters later arrived at the scene but struggled to contain the inferno after exhausting their water
The fire reportedly spread through adjoining sections of the market, destroying furniture, equipment and other merchandise belonging to traders
As the blaze raged, several traders and workers were seen attempting to retrieve items from their shops, while others stood by helplessly as their businesses were consumed
Firefighters were deployed to the market to contain the outbreak and prevent it from reaching nearby shops and structures
No death has been reported in connection with the incident, but the fire caused extensive damage, leaving several traders to count their losses
The incident sparked panic among traders and residents, with affected business owners appealing for urgent assistance to assess the extent of the damage and support their recovery