Panic has reportedly gripped traders and residents around Kofar Wambai Market in Kano State following a fire outbreak that destroyed six houses, shops and storage facilities.
The blaze has reportedly caused significant property losses at the busy commercial centre, with affected traders facing the difficult task of assessing the damage to their businesses, goods and other belongings.
The circumstances surrounding the outbreak remain unclear. Authorities have yet to publicly establish the cause of the latest fire, while information on possible casualties and the total financial value of the destroyed property was not immediately available.
The incident has nevertheless renewed attention on the vulnerability of major markets in Kano to devastating fires.
Kofar Wambai is a major commercial hub in Kano and has a documented history of fire incidents. In July 2018, six shops were destroyed by fire at the Kofar Wambai Jewellery Market, also known as Kasuwar ’Yan Yeri.
The then Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Alhaji Sagir Madaki, disclosed that the service received a distress call from the Kofar Wambai Police Division at about 8:57 p.m. Firefighters were dispatched shortly afterwards and succeeded in containing the blaze before it spread further.
“We received a distress call from Kofar Wambai Police Division at about 8:57p.m that there was fire outbreak at the market,” Madaki said while explaining the emergency response during the earlier incident.
He said the fire was brought under control within 55 minutes and warned traders and residents to exercise greater caution with equipment capable of triggering fires. He also advised traders to keep fire buckets, blankets and extinguishers available for emergencies.
The latest incident is particularly significant given research identifying Kofar Wambai as one of Kano’s major markets with a history of fire outbreaks. A study examining market fires in Kano found that electrical faults accounted for a substantial proportion of recorded incidents, citing faulty wiring, electrical sparks, unstable power supply and negligent use of electrical appliances among the contributing factors.
Another study examining Kofar Wambai highlighted environmental and infrastructural challenges, including inadequate emergency routes and blocked access points that could make firefighting more difficult during an outbreak.
With another major fire now reportedly affecting the market, the incident is likely to intensify calls for stronger fire-prevention measures, improved emergency access and stricter safety standards across Kano’s densely populated commercial centres.
