Scores of traders were left counting heavy losses after a devastating fire razed a popular home appliances and office furniture market along Murtala Mohammed Way in Kano on Thursday night, destroying goods and property worth millions of naira.

The inferno, which reportedly broke out around 10:00 p.m., engulfed a large section of the market before firefighters succeeded in bringing the blaze under control after hours of intense effort.

Eyewitnesses said the fire spread rapidly through the market, consuming numerous shops and valuable merchandise, including furniture, carpets, mattresses, refrigerators, air conditioners, television sets, office equipment and other interior decoration materials.

The affected market, situated between the DHL office and First City Monument Bank (FCMB) on the busy Murtala Mohammed Way, is regarded as one of Kano’s major commercial hubs for household and office furnishing products.

Traders and residents watched helplessly as flames tore through shops, destroying investments accumulated over several years of business operations.

One of the affected traders, who spoke shortly after the incident, described the fire as a devastating setback for business owners in the market.

“Several shops were completely gutted by the fire. Goods worth millions of naira have been reduced to ashes. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined. We could only watch helplessly as officials of the Kano State Fire Service battled to contain the inferno,” he said.

According to witnesses, thick smoke and towering flames were visible from several parts of Kano as the fire raged through the night.

The blaze also reportedly affected a nearby building occupied by international courier company DHL, with part of its roof said to have sustained damage from the heat and flames.

Despite the scale of destruction, there were no immediate reports of casualties as of the time of filing this report.

Officials of the Kano State Fire Service were said to have responded promptly to distress calls and worked tirelessly to prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining buildings and businesses along the commercial corridor.

Residents and traders commended the firefighters for their swift intervention, noting that their efforts helped avert what could have become a much larger disaster in one of the city’s busiest commercial districts.

Authorities had yet to determine the cause of the fire at the time of this report, while the total value of goods and property destroyed remained unknown.

Affected traders have appealed to the Kano State Government, relevant agencies, corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals for assistance, saying the disaster has wiped out their means of livelihood and left many uncertain about how to restart their businesses.

The incident has renewed concerns over recurring market fires across the country and underscored the need for improved fire prevention measures, safety awareness and emergency response systems in major commercial centres.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are expected to commence as traders continue to assess the full extent of their losses. (Tribune News)