A midnight fire has gutted the Maganda Road Wood Market in Kano State, destroying goods and cars worth millions of naira and leaving hundreds of traders counting their losses.

Witnesses said the fire started around 3:00 a.m on Monday in the wood section of the market before spreading across the road to the metals cluster.

By the time traders and residents arrived, large portions of the market had already been consumed.

“We later started trying to put it off, then later fire service personnel came. Nobody could tell the exact cause of the fire because we were all at home when it started in the night,” said Nura Umar, one of the traders.

The incident reportedly affected over 50 business premises, with thousands of traders operating in the market.

Another trader in the market, Engineer Abdulwahab Ilori, who lost his workshop, lamented the destruction of heavy machines including lathe, welding, and drilling equipment.

“If I want to establish everything I lost there, it is almost millions of naira,” he said, adding that his colleagues also lost property worth millions.

Ilori also said several auto spare parts shops were burnt, including a newly delivered car valued at about ₦14 million.

“Government should help us, because aside the shops, about eight other shops were also burnt and many new auto spare parts were also destroyed. Cars brought for repairs were also damaged,” he said.

The traders appealed to government and wealthy individuals to come to their aid, as many of them have lost their livelihoods in the fire.

The Kano State Fire Service said it is still trying to ascertain the extent of the loss in the market and the real cause of the fire. (Daily Trust)