…Tinubu assures victims of support
Situation was tense and devastating, following a fire outbreak out at Karu Market in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, leaving a trail of destruction and loss.
Goods and properties worth millions of naira were reduced to ashes, causing despair among traders and shoppers.
The FCT Fire Service at Karu Market responded to the incident but faced challenges accessing the scene due to the large crowd of people flocking to the area.
Traders, who lost their wares in the inferno, were seen wailing uncontrollably.
A trader, Happiness Aronu, who was sad about the situation, said: “Everything has burnt down. I could not recover anything. This is where we feed from o. Ah, my children’s school fees are there,” one of the traders cried. I cannot hold myself; I am in pain – I don’t know if government can help us. My money that has gone here is over ₦10 million. I am tired and I don’t know where to start.”
Despite the challenges, soldiers were on ground to maintain order and ensure the safety of everyone involved.
Preliminary investigations suggests that the fire may have been caused by an electrical surge, which quickly spread and engulfed parts of the market.
The full extent of the damage is still being assessed; however, it is clear that the fire left a significant impact on the community.
Security officers are working to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the outbreak.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has stated his administration’s support to victims of the fire incident.
“President Bola Tinubu receives the news of the fire incident, which affected sections of Karu Market in the Federal Capital Territory with deep sadness,” his Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale said in a statement yesterday.
The statement said Tinubu “extends his heartfelt sympathies to all the traders affected by this distressing incident and assures them of his administration’s full support. The president urged caution and adherence to essential safety measures to prevent fire outbreaks and other accidents.”
Similarly, the FCT Emergency Management Department, FEMD, has underscored the importance of access in firefighting operations.
The Acting Director-General of FEMD, Florence Wenegieme, issued the advice in the wake of the fire at the old Karu Market on Thursday evening.
According to a statement by the Head, Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, a combined team of the FCT Fire Service, Federal Fire Service and Julius Berger Fire Service, were on ground to contain the fire outbreak.
Wenegieme, who was at the scene, noted that the fire started at about 6.30pm.
She informed that firemen who were activated to the scene on time were unable to gain access into the market, which is located behind the new market under construction.
“It was the illegal market/settlement behind the new market under construction that was engulfed by fire. We had enough firetrucks and firemen, but we could not gain access into the market, so we had to break walls to have access to the firefighting hose, that was what caused the delay in putting out the fire”, she said.
She stated that the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, adding that investigations are ongoing.
“No life was lost in the fire incident, but goods worth millions of naira were destroyed,” she added.
The Nigeria Police, Nigeria Army and Civil Defense Corps were also on ground to ensure crowd control.
