Kano – A fresh fire outbreak has hit Kano’s popular Singa Market, destroying several shops in the Gidan Glass section along Ado Bayero Road near Murtala Muhammad Way.
The fire, which began Saturday afternoon, marks the second incident at the market in less than two weeks.
A trader, Nasir Maharazu, said the blaze started around 4:00pm and quickly engulfed a two-storey building. “As I speak, I can see the fire burning. This fire is even worse than the one recorded less than two weeks ago,” he said.
Eyewitnesses reported that the fire originated from a provision shop, producing thick black smoke that caused panic among traders and shoppers. Many struggled to salvage their goods while attempting to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby structures. “The fire started from a shop selling provisions. Within minutes, it spread to other shops. We tried to remove some items, but the heat and smoke were too much,” an eyewitness said.
Officials from the Kano State Fire Service responded with a fire truck, though the initial water supply was reportedly exhausted. A second fire truck and a private water tanker from Aspira Nigeria Limited later joined the effort. Despite the intervention, traders called for additional water tankers as the blaze continued to rage for hours.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, and fire service authorities confirmed that investigations are ongoing.
Singa Market, the largest commodity market in Kano and northern Nigeria, supplies provision wares and foodstuffs to most northern states and even neighboring West and Central African countries. The latest fire follows a similar outbreak weeks ago, which left traders counting heavy losses and added to the economic difficulties faced by market operators.
