A massive fire outbreak erupted early Sunday morning at the popular building materials market in the Jabi district of Abuja, directly opposite the landmark Chida Hotel. The inferno sent thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky, visible across central areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The fire reportedly broke out in the outer section of the market, where highly combustible materials—including timber, paints, roofing sheets, and PVC pipes—were stacked. Fuelled by dry conditions and flammable inventory, the flames quickly spread across closely packed stalls, consuming millions of naira worth of goods within minutes.
Traders and local residents rushed to the scene in an attempt to salvage merchandise and extinguish the blaze using buckets of water and sand, but the intense heat and heavy smoke forced many to retreat.
Firefighters from the Federal Fire Service and the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) arrived on scene to battle the raging blaze. Emergency responders struggled initially to navigate through narrow access paths and congested market layout, but teams managed to create a containment perimeter to prevent the fire from spreading toward adjacent residential structures and the nearby Chida Hotel complex.
Security personnel, including officers from the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), established a security cordon around the perimeter to deter looting and keep crowds at a safe distance.
While no official casualties have been confirmed, several traders were treated by paramedics at the scene for smoke inhalation and minor burns.
The cause of the outbreak remains unknown, though preliminary reports suggest an electrical fault or an unextinguished refuse fire nearby may have triggered the blaze. FCT authorities have launched a full investigation to determine the exact cause and assess the total economic damage caused by the disaster.
Market union representatives and affected shop owners have called on the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to provide urgent relief funds and financial aid to help impacted traders rebuild their livelihoods. Many small business owners lamented that their entire life savings and uninsured inventories were completely destroyed in the blaze, leaving hundreds of families without a source of income. Local trade associations are currently coordinating with emergency management agencies to compile a comprehensive register of affected traders, while pressing city authorities to fast-track structural redesigns and install functional fire hydrants to prevent similar catastrophes in the future.
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