Over 500 shops lost in Masaka market fire

A fire outbreak has destroyed over 500 shops at Masaka Market in the Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, leaving traders and residents in despair.

The fire incident occurred late Friday night from about 10:30 p.m., residents said.

Eyewitness described the scene as pathetic, with hundreds of shops and valuables worth millions of naira, destroyed.

Joseph Jatau, a witness, said that the fire spread rapidly, catching traders unaware.

“We rushed to the market and found everything engulfed in flames,” Jatau said. “Community members called the fire service, but they arrived late, citing a lack of water.”

Another trader, Usman Aliyu, estimated that over 500 shops were destroyed in the blaze.

“We were still at the market when the fire started, but we don’t know the cause,” Mr Aliyu said.

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“The entire market has been burnt down, including food storage areas.”

Governor Abdullahi Sule visited the scene on Saturday, pledging support for the affected traders.

The incident has raised concerns about the lack of fire safety measures in markets in the state.