Pascal Arogorn Ibe
No fewer than one hundred timber shelves were destroyed on Monday night in an inferno that engulfed Hausa line of Laranto Market, in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state.
Daily Trust reports that the fire incidence has been a recurrent experience in the market for over twenty years. Timber shelves are being destroyed every year, especially between November and December when harmattan sets in.
While speaking to Daily Trust, Alh. Yususf Aliyu Umar, who is the chairman of the section of the market, said the fire outbreak began at about 11 pm when everyone had already closed and lasted for more than two hours. He added that nobody could give the exact cause of the fire.
He said though the firefighters had done well to control the fire, properties worth millions of naira had already been engulfed by the fire before their arrival.
He however lamented that the government had not responded to their requests for fire fighting equipment, even though they had asked on several occasions.
He said, “Realizing the frequent occurrence of fire outbreak in the market, we requested the government severally to help us with firefighting vehicles to station in the market. Or provide us with boreholes that will assist us during an emergency but nothing had been done yet.
“We are remaining and appealing to the government to come to our aid. We are not asking for money but equipment we can use during an emergency period.”
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