A devastating fire swept through the only market in Trademore Estate, Lugbe, Abuja in the early hours of Monday, leaving traders and residents grappling with significant losses.
The blaze, which reportedly started around 3:30 a.m., broke out shortly after the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company restored power.
Eyewitnesses suggest the inferno may have been triggered by an electrical fault, though the exact cause has yet to be officially determined.
Joe, a resident of the estate, described the scene as “tense and chaotic,” noting that the fire had already spread widely by the time he was alerted at 4:00 a.m.
Efforts by residents to contact emergency services were initially met with delays.
Firefighters from Dunamis Church were the first to respond at around 5:00 a.m., followed by teams from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Sauka Station.
It took two hours for emergency responders to bring the blaze under control, successfully preventing it from spreading further.
At the time of reporting, the extent of the damage and the value of goods lost remain unclear.
Authorities have not yet released an official statement on the incident.
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