TheCable

An early-morning fire has destroyed the 804 makeshift-shop section of the Mohammed Abubakar Rimi market, popularly known as the Sabon-Gari market, in Kano.

The fire started in the wee hours of Saturday when traders and marketers were still at home.

“The fire started at about 4am to 5am at the Gida Maggi section of the market where stuff are sold,” said Adamu Kofar Mazugal, who witnessed the tragedy.

“We saw a thick smoke coming out from the foodstuff section when we quickly alerted the fire fighters.”

He said foodstuff such as gari, beans and beverages were burnt.

The fire fighters were able to contain inferno before it could spread to other areas.

A second witness said more than 804 shops were razed by the fire.

Mustapha Rilwan, Kano state director of the fire service department, confirmed the incident, saying t804 makeshift shops were “burnt to ashes”.

Officials of the state government have visited the scene of the inferno to ascertain the scale of damage.