KEDCO says inferno not caused by electric fault
Midnight inferno has gutted about 150 shops in a Sabon Gari market, Zaria, Kaduna State, destroying goods worth over N6 billion. But the Head of Corporate Affairs, Kaduna Electric Company (KEDCO), AbdulAzeez Abdullahi, has however, denied the allegation that electricity sparks caused the fire outbreak.
According to Abdulllahi, reports received indicated that the fire incident started in one of the shops in ‘Yan Katako’ Market, Sabon Gari. Besides, witnesses said the fire started around 1.00a.m., when all, except few security men, had left the market. The security guards could not do much to save the situation.
A local official in the area alleged that most fire stations contacted were grounded, adding that the only one that responded demanded fuel, which he provided.
His words: “The fire spread to other shops in the market and efforts to attract the fire service within the area were not successful. I personally went to the Kofar Doka Fire Service office, but was informed that their operational vehicle was not in good shape. I then proceeded to the Kongo campus of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), where I was told they had been directed not to operate outside the university premises.
“I finally contacted the fire service at the Sabon Gari Main Market and they asked me to provide fuel for them, which I did before they responded.”
Chairman of Timbershed said more than 150 shops were completely destroyed, and a state government official estimated that goods destroyed were worth about N6 billion.
