Residents of Trademore Estate in the Lugbe area of Abuja were left shocked and confused on Monday when a fire broke out at the estate’s market in the early hours.
The fire reportedly started around 3:30 am, shortly after the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) restored power supply, and it quickly spread through the market before emergency services could respond.
While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, eyewitnesses suspect it may have been triggered by electrical issues. National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesperson, Manzo Ezekiel, confirmed the incident to the press.
He stated that he was alerted to the fire as early as 4 am and immediately contacted relevant authorities. Ezekiel added that the fire service was able to control the blaze after being mobilized and arriving at the scene.
“I received calls about the fire around 4 am and contacted our contacts for more details,” Ezekiel said. “The fire service arrived promptly, and the situation was brought under control.”
Though he could not confirm any casualties, Ezekiel mentioned he was out of Abuja on official duty in Sokoto State. A resident named Joe, who was alerted to the fire around 4 am, echoed similar concerns about the cause of the fire. “We don’t know the exact cause yet, but we suspect it may be linked to an electrical issue,” Joe said, noting that the residents had contacted both the Federal Fire Service and the FCT Fire Service. The fire service arrived at around 5 am and managed to extinguish the flames.
The fire has since been put out, but the situation remains tense as investigations continue.
