A major fire outbreak has left traders in Kano State counting devastating losses after it completely destroyed the popular Sabuwar Lale furniture market in the early hours of Sunday.
Inferno Consumes Market Overnight
The fire, which eyewitnesses say began around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 21, 2025, spread rapidly through the market located in Tal’udu, within the Gwale Local Government Area. Before officials from the Kano State Fire Service could arrive and intervene, the blaze had already consumed a significant portion of the market, reducing wood, finished furniture, and tools to ashes.
According to accounts from the scene, the fire raged uncontrollably for several hours, only being brought under control after the early morning prayers. Preliminary reports indicate that at least 11 permanent shops and about 20 temporary structures were completely burnt down in the incident.
Traders Devastated by Multi-Million Naira Losses
For the business owners at Sabuwar Lale, the fire represents a catastrophic blow to their livelihoods. One of the affected traders, Bashir Ustaz, described the heartbreaking moment he arrived at the scene. "I was called around 3 a.m. and told about the fire," he said. "When I got here, what I saw made me close my eyes. Everything I owned was destroyed."
The Vice Chairman of the market, Adamu Mansur (Madaki), confirmed the scale of the destruction. He stated that while a total estimate was not yet complete, individual losses were enormous. Madaki revealed that in his own shop alone, over 40 sets of furniture were destroyed, with several high-end sets valued at more than N5 million each.
"The fire burned from about 2:30 a.m. until morning. We pray that Allah replaces our losses with something better," Madaki said, encapsulating the despair felt by the community. He made a passionate appeal to the Kano State Government and compassionate individuals to come to the aid of the traders, emphasizing that the destruction was overwhelming and recovery without help seemed impossible.
Livelihoods in Ashes, Cause Unknown
A critical silver lining in the tragedy is that no lives were lost in the inferno. However, the economic and emotional toll is severe. Many of the traders have been left without their primary source of income, with concerns mounting about how they will feed their families and restart their businesses.
As of the time of reporting, the Kano State Fire Service had not issued an official statement regarding the possible cause of the fire. The incident has left a community in tears, staring at the ashes of their hard work and investment, and hoping for urgent support to rebuild.
