Early Morning Inferno Ravages Popular Kano Market
A devastating fire outbreak has completely destroyed sections of the popular Singa Market in Kano State, leaving traders counting enormous losses running into hundreds of millions of naira. The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, November 13, 2025, with flames erupting around 5:00 am and rapidly consuming everything in their path.
According to eyewitness accounts and official reports, the inferno originated from a building known as Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa House before spreading aggressively to adjacent structures within the market. The speed and intensity of the flames caught many traders off guard, leaving them helpless as they watched their livelihoods go up in smoke.
Traders Face Catastrophic Losses
Alhaji Salisu Abdullahi, a major foodstuff dealer at the market, suffered one of the most significant losses, with goods valued at over N120 million completely destroyed by the fire. In an emotional interview, Abdullahi revealed the devastating impact the incident has had on his business and personal life.
"I was called around 6am and rushed to the market, only to see everything burnt to ashes," Abdullahi lamented. "I just restocked last week after taking goods on credit. I don't even know how to face my suppliers. Now I have lost at least cash and goods worth N120 million."
The scale of destruction extended far beyond Abdullahi's business. The Kano State Fire Service confirmed that 44 shops were completely gutted by the flames, with property and merchandise worth millions of naira reduced to ashes.
Emergency Response Challenges
Saminu Yusif Abdullahi, spokesperson for the Kano State Fire Service, provided crucial details about the challenges faced by emergency responders during the incident. Firefighters experienced significant delays in reaching the scene due to trailers parked indiscriminately along the access roads leading to the market.
This obstruction hampered initial response efforts, allowing the fire to spread more extensively before containment measures could be effectively implemented. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about market safety and emergency access in many Nigerian commercial centers.
Other traders also shared their heartbreaking stories of loss. Auwalu Sule, who operated a seasoning and foodstuff business in the market, expressed his despair after losing everything in the blaze.
"All my goods were burnt. I was preparing for the festive season, hoping to make good sales before the year ends. Now, I have nothing left," Sule stated emotionally.
Similarly, Musa Abdulhadi, a spaghetti and pasta products seller, described the helplessness traders felt as the fire spread with alarming speed. Another trader, Musa Muhammad, echoed the concerns about emergency access, specifically blaming the delayed fire response on the indiscriminate parking of trailers around the market perimeter.
The Singa Market fire represents another tragic incident in a series of market fires that have plagued Nigerian traders in recent times. Authorities have launched investigations to determine the exact cause of the fire and to develop strategies for preventing similar occurrences in the future.
