Fire Razes 30 Shops, Destroys Property In Lafia New Market

This is tragic times for business owners and traders in the New Modern Market in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, as fire razed several tailoring shops, destroying goods worth millions of Naira in the process.

Reports indicated that the fire, which started on Thursday night at about 9.30pm, lasted till the early hours of Friday, December 6, 2024 as firefighters battle to contain it from spreading.

Some journalists, who visited the incident scene hours later, were informed by the affected traders that efforts by personnel of the Nasarawa State Fire Service to put out the fire were unfortunately hindered by the refuse heaps dumped indiscriminately around the market.

It was also gathered that the intense heat generated by the raging flames restrained the firefighters and frustrated their spirited efforts to bring the situation under control.

One of the traders, whose shop was among those razed, Musa Abdullahi, said no one could exactly determine the cause of the fire outbreak.

Lamenting their plight to some media men, Abdullahi said over 30 shops were destroyed in the inferno, with about 70 percent of them being tailoring shops that contained new sewing machines, fabrics and other accessories.

Further narrating his ordeal, Abdullahi said; “Forty (40) new sewing machines were delivered on Thursday morning, and they were all destroyed in the fire, alongside three shops belonging to my father.

“Other affected shops include those selling shoes and clothes that were fully stocked for this Yuletide period”.

Confirming the unfortunate incident, Director of the Nasarawa State Fire Service, Builder Ombogus-Joshua, said his team received a distress call around 9.30pm on Thursday and the firefighters were immediately dispatched to the scene to bring the fire under control.

On the number of shops affected by the fire incident, Ombogus-Joshua said the Service could not immediately come up with the specific figure.

He explained that investigations were ongoing to determine not only what caused the fire but also the extend of damage as well as the number of affected shops.