By Hosanna Eseose
A fire outbreak has destroyed several shops and stores at a building materials market in Jabi, Abuja, with goods reportedly worth millions of naira lost in the early-morning incident.
The fire broke out at about 3:00 a.m. on Monday at Eda Plaza, opposite Chida Hotel in Jabi, affecting several businesses operating in the building materials market.
Firefighters from the Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service and Julius Berger Fire Service responded to the emergency and battled the inferno for several hours before bringing it under control at about 10:14 a.m.
No life was lost in the incident, while the cause of the fire had yet to be officially established as of the time of filing this report.
Reacting to the incident, the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) urged owners and managers of markets, malls and other commercial facilities across the Federal Capital Territory to strengthen fire prevention measures.
The department specifically called on market operators to provide adequate fire extinguishers and functional firefighting equipment and ensure that they are properly maintained and readily accessible.
FEMD also urged traders and facility managers to ensure that electrical installations are carried out by qualified professionals and regularly inspected to identify and rectify faults that could trigger fire outbreaks.
It stressed that routine safety inspections, proper storage of combustible materials and strict compliance with fire safety regulations were essential to preventing avoidable disasters in markets and commercial centres.
The department further advised traders and residents to evacuate buildings immediately whenever a fire breaks out and avoid actions that could obstruct firefighters responding to emergencies.
FEMD encouraged market operators to familiarise themselves with basic fire prevention and emergency response procedures, including the location of emergency exits and firefighting equipment.
It also reminded residents that the 112 emergency toll-free number is available for reporting emergencies, urging members of the public to make prompt calls whenever they notice a fire or other emergency.
The department said collective vigilance, adequate safety equipment and regular inspection of facilities remained critical to preventing fire outbreaks and protecting lives and property across the FCT.