A major fire outbreak razed shops at Katsina Central Market in the early hours of Wednesday.

Goods and properties estimated to be worth hundreds of million naira were destroyed by the inferno.

Eyewitnesses said the fire started before dawn and spread rapidly across a section of the market, leaving traders helpless as flames consumed shops stocked with food items, textiles and other merchandise.

Many traders who rushed to the market after receiving distress calls said they met a scene of devastation, with thick smoke, twisted metal and smouldering debris where their shops once stood.

One of the affected traders, fighting back tears, said years of hard work were lost within minutes.

“Everything I worked for over the years is gone. This shop is my life. I don’t know how to start again,” he said.

Another trader blamed delays in emergency response for the scale of the destruction recorded.

“Before the fire service arrived, the fire had already destroyed everything. We are still asked to contribute money for fuel during emergencies,” he said.

Officials of the Katsina State Fire Service later arrived at the scene and battled the inferno, eventually bringing it under control.

However, traders insisted that the late response allowed the fire to spread to more shops.

The leadership of the Katsina Central Market Traders Association described the incident as another painful reminder of long-standing challenges confronting emergency services in the state.

According to the association, traders are often compelled to raise money for fuel before fire service trucks can respond to distress calls.

The association’s leader appealed to the state government to urgently address the situation.

“We appeal to the government to empower the fire service. Fire emergencies require immediate response, not delays caused by lack of fuel,” he said.

He warned that unless the fire service is adequately funded and equipped, similar incidents would continue to threaten the livelihoods of traders.

Some traders also expressed frustration that prompt intervention could have reduced the losses recorded.

“If help had come on time, the fire would not have spread this far. An emergency should not wait for fuel money,” another trader said.

Although no life was lost in the incident, an official of the fire service, identified as Idris Gachi, sustained a grievous injury to his foot while battling the flames.

Many said survival has now become uncertain for their families who depend solely on the market for income.

For the traders, the incident is not just another fire outbreak but a renewed call for concrete action to prevent a repeat of what has become a recurring tragedy at the market. (Daily Trust)