Fire Razes Two Markets In Borno

• Traders count loses in Biu Central and Gamboru markets

Two popular markets in Borno State, Biu Central Market and Gamboru market have been gutted by fire as residents of the State trooped out on Saturday to vote at the governorship and State House of Assembly elections across the State.

Biu town is located in the southern part of Borno state and reports said as the inferno raged most of the traders and residents watched helplessly as operatives of the Fire service battled to put out the fire.

Biu Central Market is the second largest in the State and the incident comes barely two weeks after the largest market in the town, Monday Market, was razed with over 10,000 shops completely burnt.

Reports indicated that the traders, who did not open for business due to elections, were seen rushing away from their respective polling units, heading to the incident scene as thick black smoke covered the morning sky.

Some sections of Biu Central Market housing the timbers dealers were completely razed as voting exercise was ongoing and Vice Chairman of Civilian JTF in Biu, Aliyu Isa, said they were alerted of the outbreak around 9:00am.

He said it took the efforts of good Samaritans and the fire service to subdue the inferno, adding; “It’s has actually disrupted elections in some parts of the town but people later returned to cast their votes.”

Isa confirmed that the fire largely consumed the section of the market where timbers and some other building accessories are sold.

This is as another incident of fire disaster was reported at a Gamboru market in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

According to eyewitness account, at about 3 pm local time, the fire erupted at the market, located around the Customs area of Maiduguri.

It was gathered that most residents quickly abandon their polling units and headed towards the burning market, even as it was difficult to determine the precise cause of the fire.

Many have been left confounded that suddenly fire incidents are becoming rampant disasters in the State just about three weeks after the city’s main market was completely razed.