By Patrick Idowu
A raging fire engulfed Mpape New Market, Abuja, on Friday, destroying over 40 shops and goods worth more than N60 million.
The inferno, which broke out around 5:25 p.m., caught traders off guard, reducing the once-bustling commercial hub to ruins.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as shop owners watched helplessly while their livelihoods went up in flames.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, but the incident adds to the growing concerns over market safety in Abuja.
Just recently, a similar fire outbreak devastated Karimo Market, raising alarms over inadequate preventive measures.
Although the swift response of the Fire Service and police helped contain the blaze, stakeholders lamented that the intervention came “too little, too late.”
