FIRE GUTS ABUJA FURNITURE MARKET

Kugbo furniture market in the FCT was gutted by fire and goods worth millions of naira was destroyed. Eyewitness accounts states that the fire started after an electrical spark in an electrical appliaces store in one of the buildings.
                             

One of the witnesses, who gave his name as Uche Okwu, said the fire started at about 11.00 p.m. last night after traders had gone home, blaming the colossal fire and its attendant destruction on the failure of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) to respond to a request by members of the Market Association to expand the market. “The loss today cannot be quantified,” .

Masquerade234 gathered that the fire burnt more than a hundred shops beyond recognition after raging for more than five hours before fire fighters could contain it.
                                              
                             
An official of the National Emergency Management Agency Ishaya Shonuku, attributed the fire to some traders who leave their electrical appliances plugged in overnight. He described the fire as unfortunate and said it had created a monumental loss for the traders.

Shonuku stated that this was not the first time the market would be gutted fire, adding that three fire incidents had been recorded in the past. He regretted that no safety precaution measures were ever adopted.

Numerous traders were seen milling around the devastated scene and counting their losses. One of them told our correspondent that they were going to mobilize for protests. They asked unaffected traders to close their shops and join the protest.

Kugbo Furniture Market is considered the biggest furniture market in Abuja metropolis. Many traders blamed congestion at the market for the recurrent fire outbreaks. The market was once located at Nyanya-Abuja Express Road before its relocation.