The Chairman of the Singer Market Development Association, Alhaji Junaid Zakari, has described the latest fire outbreak at Singer Market in Kano as a devastating setback for traders, disclosing that goods and property worth over ₦5 billion were destroyed in the inferno.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with SolaceBase on Sunday, Zakari said more than 1,500 shops, including containers and makeshift stalls used by small-scale traders, were completely razed by the fire.
According to him, the section where the fire broke out is one of the busiest parts of the market, stocked with high-value commodities purchased with significant capital investment.
“The affected area contains a large concentration of goods. Based on our preliminary assessment, over 1,500 shops and small containers were burnt. We estimate that properties worth more than ₦5 billion have been lost,” he said.
Zakari expressed deep concern over the economic implications of the disaster, noting that many traders rely entirely on daily business proceeds to sustain their families.
“This is a major blow to our members. Some traders operate with borrowed capital, while others depend on cooperative contributions. The impact of this loss is enormous,” he added.
“As I speak to you, the main fire has been extinguished, and firefighters are working to put out the remaining pockets of flames,” he said.
When SolaceBase visited the market around 10:12 a.m. on Sunday, smoke was still rising from parts of the affected areas, including Gidan Gilas, Gidan Gashash, Gidan Mai, and the Audu Yahaya Danbatta section. Firefighters were seen battling lingering flames and conducting cooling operations to prevent a fresh outbreak.
Some traders were also observed sifting through debris in search of salvageable items, while others stood in groups discussing the scale of their losses.
Alhaji Isa Abubakar, a shop owner, said he lost goods worth over N200 million, saying, “from God we come, to Him we shall return.
“I am here, and it is heartbreaking to see goods worth billions of Naira destroyed by fire.”
Abubakar commended Yusuf for visiting the scene, demonstrating concern and solidarity with the victims.
Musa Ibrahim, another trader, recounted his experience, saying that he lost goods worth over N340 million in the fire.
“The fire had consumed everything we had,” he said, pointing to the remains of his shop.
Also, another trader, Halifa Abubakar, who operates a Point of Sale (POS) business in the market, lamented that he lost all the cash in his shop.
“I lost all the money in my shop. What pains me most is that much of the money was not mine. However, my loss is small compared to those who lost goods worth billions of naira,” he said.
When asked to state the exact amount he lost, Abubakar said he could not immediately determine the figure.
The fire, which broke out Saturday evening, raged into the early hours of Sunday, causing widespread destruction and anxiety among traders.
The incident comes just weeks after another devastating fire outbreak at Singer Market resulted in significant losses, compounding the hardship faced by business owners in the area.
As of the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire had not been ascertained, and authorities were yet to determine what triggered the outbreak.
(SOLACEBASE)