A total of 25 temporary shops and 19 stores have been destroyed by an early morning fire at the popular Singer Market in Kano on Monday, the state fire service said in a statement.

The statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi, on Tuesday, said valuable goods worth millions of naira were lost before the inferno was brought under control.

“Kano State Fire Service, led by the Director, Sani Anas, received a call for emergency assistance from Mubarak Muhammad, informing the central control room that there was an emergency call at the Singer Market at about 05:00 a.m.

“Our men from various fire stations within the Kano metropolitan rushed to the scene of the incident, and on arrival, they found a building of one floor of about 150 x 150 ft, the house known as Alh. Abdulmunafi Yunusa House, in flames,” he said.

The statement explained that the fire destroyed 25 temporary shops at the front of the building and 19 stores on the upper floor.

Firefighters successfully prevented the fire from spreading further, saving 24 other stores on the same floor and all the stores located on the ground floor.

“The rescue operation faced challenges due to poor road access caused by trailers parked incorrectly around the area,” the statement said.

He attributed the inferno to a faulty electrical connection, adding that the fire was suspected to have started from one of the temporary shops attached to the building.

Abdullahi reiterated the commitment of the agency to protecting lives and property, urging residents and business owners to ensure proper electrical installations to prevent similar incidents in the future.