Millions lost as fire razes Abuja market

Thirty-nine shops and furniture worth N21 million at Kugbo furniture market in Abuja have been destroyed by fire outbreak.

Some of the affected furniture makers at the market said they were called at about few minutes past 12 on Monday morning by the guards on duty about the inferno.

Chairman of the city furniture area, Austin Onuh, who is also a victim, expressed shock over the incident.

He regretted that most of the furniture burnt were given to them on contract by regular customers.

“We are yet to determine the cause of the inferno but furniture worth over N 21 million naira have been burnt by the fire.

“Some of us here just returned from Christmas and new year celebrations, and started work that our custmers gave us, but this morning we only came to see ashes,” he said.

Onuh appealed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), spirited individuals and corporate organisations to come to their aid and support them.

He also called on the government to help the furniture makers provide measures that will prevent fire incident in the nearest future.

Timothy Eze, one of the affected furniture makers, said he has lost not less than N 8 million worth of furniture in his shop.

“Apart from the furniture, industrial machine, generators with several working equipment that worth millions were also burnt”

Another victim, Vincent Ngutsen, said over N7 million finished and unfinished furniture were burnt in his shop located at the same area.

According to him, despite efforts by the people around the area and the fire fighters, they were not able to salvage the fire.

– The Nation