Probe begins as Plateau market fire guts 107 shops

The Chairman of Jos North Local Government Area, J. K. Chris, has said the council will probe the fire incident that gutted no fewer than 107 shops at the timber market situated in Katako community, Jos North Local Government Area  Katako.

Chris said the fire was contained with the help of the Federal Fire Service and other emergency responders, adding, “No one can say what caused the fire but we are investigating the incident.”

Our correspondent learnt that the fire, which started on Sunday night, destroyed several goods worth millions of naira including over 107 shops.

The Chairman of Plateau State Carpenters’ Association, Shuaibu Ali, who confirmed the fire to our correspondent in Jos on Monday, said the incident had been a recurring problem in the market.

Ali said, “Yes, the fire incident is true. I received a phone call around 11:00 pm on Sunday, informing me about the incident. It has been a recurring problem in the market, though the cause of this incident isn’t certain.

“So far, no one can say directly about what caused the fire because we have a time we normally close the market.

“So, we had closed as usual and on Sunday night, around 11 pm, one of my members called me and told me that there was a fire in the market and we rushed to the market. When we got there, the fire had spread to other areas. No one could even come close because of the heat. So, we called the fire service and the security agents to come to our assistance.”

He further said over over 200 persons were affected and a majority of them were carpenters and over 107 shops burnt down to ashes.

“It’s really unfortunate,” he lamented.

In his reaction, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Sunday Abdu, hinted to PUNCH Metro on Monday evening that the state governor, Caleb Mutfwang, had visited the market to ascertain the situation of things.

He said, “The governor just visited the place now. So, just wait and see what will follow next.”

When contacted, the Director of Press and Public Affairs, Government House, Mr Gyang Bere, said, “Yes, the Governor visited the burnt market. He sympathised with the people over what had happened. He also said that he would work with the marketers, traders and other stakeholders to see how his administration would remodel the market so that nothing of such happens again.”