Abubakar Aminu, one of the affected marketers, narrated his experience. He said he received a call from the market's gatemen around 1:15am, informing him of the fire outbreak. When he arrived at the market around 2:00am, his shop was already ablaze, and he could not salvage any of his goods. He added that the fire spread to three more plazas, destroying over 100 shops stocked with goods worth millions of naira.
"We have lost a lot," Aminu said. "My neighbour, whose shop was also burnt to ashes, stocked three trailers of goods yesterday night. They are all gone now."
Basiru Dauda Kunya, who was present at the scene of the incident, explained that the fire also spread to other buildings, including Gidan Sojoji, which had ten shops in front and warehouses inside. The fire also spread to Savanah House and then to Bello Dandago road.
Singer Market is located along Ibrahim Taiwo road in Kano and is the largest foodstuff market in the state. The market serves as a hub for food distribution to other parts of the state and beyond. The market's destruction has caused a significant setback to the state's economy, as many businesses have lost their entire stock.
According to Prime 9ja Online, this is the third fire outbreak in major markets in Kano State within two months. In January, a similar fire outbreak occurred at the Sabon Gari market, which destroyed over 200 shops. The fire outbreak at Sabon Gari market was reportedly caused by an electrical fault.
In February, another fire outbreak occurred at the Yan kaba market, which destroyed several shops and goods. The cause of the fire outbreak at Yan kaba market is still unknown.
The repeated fire outbreaks in major markets in Kano State have raised concerns about the safety of the markets and the need for adequate safety measures. The Kano State Government has been called upon to provide fire extinguishers and other safety equipment to the markets to prevent future occurrences.
Speaking on the recent fire outbreak at Singer Market, the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, expressed his sympathy to the affected traders and promised to investigate the cause of the fire. Ganduje also stated that his administration would take measures to prevent future occurrences of fire outbreaks in the state's markets.
"The destruction of Singer Market is a big loss to the state's economy," Ganduje said. "We will investigate the cause of the fire outbreak and take measures to prevent future occurrences. We will also provide support to the affected traders to enable them to get back on their feet."
Meanwhile, the Kano State Fire Service has advised traders and market administrators to ensure that they have functional fire extinguishers and other safety equipment in their shops and markets. The fire service has also urged traders to avoid overloading their shops with inflammable materials and to ensure that their electrical installations are in good condition.
The Kano State Fire Service has been commended for its prompt response to the fire outbreak at Singer Market. The fire service's efforts, alongside those of the marketers, helped to prevent the fire from spreading to other areas and causing more damage.