By Shamwil Ibrahim (Justice)
KANO, Feb. 14, 2026 A massive fire outbreak tore through Singa Market on Saturday evening, destroying shops, motorcycles, and goods worth millions of naira, and leaving dozens of traders devastated.
The fire reportedly started at about 4:00 p.m., when the market was still crowded with buyers and sellers engaged in the day’s business. What initially appeared to be a minor flame quickly escalated into a raging inferno, spreading rapidly from one section of the market to another.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as traders scrambled to salvage goods ranging from bags of rice and cartons of beverages to important business documents. Many, however, were unable to rescue anything before the flames engulfed their shops.
“I watched everything burn,” said a trader who identified himself as Musa Ibrahim. “This is my only source of income. I don’t even know where to begin again.”
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Several motorcycles parked outside shops were also consumed by the fire. The bikes, commonly used to transport goods within and beyond the market, were reduced to twisted metal. For many owners, their destruction represents not just property loss but the collapse of their daily means of survival.
Officials of the Fire Service were seen battling the inferno in an effort to contain the flames. However, witnesses reported that the fire had significantly intensified before emergency responders arrived. By the time firefighting operations commenced, the blaze had already spread across multiple sections of the market.
Some traders raised concerns about the response time, suggesting that earlier intervention might have limited the scale of destruction. Others noted that the magnitude of the fire appeared to overwhelm the available resources. No aerial firefighting equipment, such as helicopters, was deployed during the operation. Observers say the absence of advanced firefighting facilities underscores broader challenges facing emergency response infrastructure in the state. Despite these challenges, firefighters worked for several hours under intense heat and thick smoke to prevent the fire from spreading further.
As of press time, the exact cause of the fire had not been officially confirmed. Authorities are expected to launch a full investigation to determine the origin of the blaze and assess the total financial damage.
Across the charred remains of Singa Market, the emotional toll was unmistakable.
The scene was heart-wrenching. Children wandered among the ashes, their small hands sifting through debris, hoping to find something, anything, that might still be of use. Volunteers and neighbors worked tirelessly, pulling out burnt goods and attempting to rescue half-charred items. Yet smoke and ash had claimed almost everything, leaving despair in its wake.
And then there were the faces. Oh, the faces. You could see in the eyes of traders the absolute despair, expressions frozen between disbelief and grief, as though the fire had burned not only their shops but their very spirits. Some sat on the ground, hands over their faces, shaking. Others stared blankly at the ruins, as if searching for a way to undo what had already been done. You could feel their hearts pounding; some struggled to breathe under the weight of loss.
Most poignant was the plaza where the fire first ignited. It was filled with juice vendors and small traders whose season of prosperity had just begun with the approach of Ramadan. For them, the fire was cruelly timed. Not only had their daily stock disappeared, but the inventory they had purchased
specifically for the holy month in anticipation of increased demand was gone, reduced to ash.
Beyond the goods, beyond the motorcycles, beyond the material loss, there was a deeper devastation: hope itself. In a matter of hours, the dreams of many had been scorched, leaving nothing but charred memories. Yet amid the despair, a quiet, stubborn resilience could be seen. Traders murmured to each other, trying to figure out how to start again. Helpers offered what little they could. Somewhere in the smoke, determination flickered, fragile but alive.
Singa Market, a major commercial hub in Kano, has experienced fire incidents in the past. Yet amid the devastation, signs of resilience emerged. Traders gathered in small groups, discussing plans to rebuild and support one another.
Singa Market has faced calamities before, and it will rise again. Shops will reopen. Traders will return. Commerce will resume. But today, the market mourns. Today, it is a landscape of ashes, smoke, and heartache. Today, we bear witness to what it truly means to lose not just goods, but livelihoods, hopes, and dreams, and to see in the faces of the affected the raw, human cost of disaster.
The images I witnessed during the fire outbreak will remain with me forever!
Written by Shamwil Ibrahim (Justice)
brahimshamawilu@gmail.com
