Fire At Katako Market In Jos, Shops Burnt, Many Injured -

Katako Market, Jos, after the fire. NAN
PHOTO.
Lawal said that most of those injured were
visitors who volunteered to put out the fire.
He said: “I was particularly happy that the
volunteers were people who had no
particular stake in the market. Their total
commitment was just amazing.”
The chairman appealed to PlateauState
government to assist the traders, some of
whom he said lost everything.
“Many have lost everything they laboured
for all their lives,” he added.
Mr. Musa Ishaka, a victim, who described
the incident as a “massive disaster,” called
on the government to come to their
assistance as they had no one else to turn
to.
Mrs. Juni Dabin, a represen-tative of the
State Emergency Management Agency,
SEMA, who visited the scene, expressed
shock over the massive destruction and
prayed against a recurrence.
She said that SEMA had assessed the
damage and would send a report to the
Plateau Government.
She said: “We shall do everything within our
powers to cushion the effect of the
disaster.”
Eyewitnesses’ accounts
Another eyewitness blamed the fire on an
electrical spark after power was restored
around 9.30p.m.
The witness said: “There was a spark from
an electric pole after electricity supply was
restored. It dropped on infla-mmable items
on the ground, which ignited the fire
adding.
“Within seconds of the spark, the whole
place was covered with smoke and then
fire.”
Another said it took the fire service and
concerned mem-bers of the public several
hours to bring the fire under control.
The eyewitness said several residents, that
were attracted by the siren of the fire
service and the blazing fire, which lit up the
night, rallied to contain the fire which was
eventually brought under control at about
midnight.
Mahmud, a second hand clothing seller,
told Vanguard: “Many residents came out
to assist the fire people because the fire
was spreading rapidly. They helped in
getting more water.
“The cooperation of the people helped to
ensure that the fire did not spread to other
parts of the market.”
Many of the victims were seen going
through the rubble of their shops,
yesterday morning, and lamenting their
losses.
One of them, Yahaya Mohammad, said he
lost several bags of maize and beans to the
fire. He said he also lost money he had
hoped to take to the bank.
The Director of Fire Service in the state, Mr.
Michael Dung, had in a recent interview
with Vanguard, warned the people to be
safety-conscious in view of increased
incidents of fire during the harmattan.
VanguardNG

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