Gamboru market fire: Borno Govt launches investigation
By Dauda Iliya
The combined efforts of the Borno state Fire service and State Emergency Management Agency SEMA have successfully contained the Gamboru market fire disaster on Wednesday from escalating to other parts of the market.
The inferno started about ten in the night at Layin Yan Katako (timber section) and outer sections of the Gamboru Market in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Professor Usman Tar says investigation into root cause of the fire has commenced as no life was lost as a result of the disaster.
“On Wednesday 3 April 2024 @ 1000 hours, a fire outbreak was reported at the Layin Yan Katako and outer sections of the Gamboru Market in Maiduguri” Tar says.
The statement maintains that the state government will take all steps to overcome incidences of fire disasters as the security of Gamboru market was not at risk of tresspass or vandalisation.
“The Borno State Fire Service and SEMA are conducting on-the-spot assessment of the inferno to determine the root cause(s) of the inferno, and steps to avoid future occurrence”.
The Commissioner on behalf of the state government commiserate with victims of the fire disaster and commended first responders for their speed of action which prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the market.
Meanwhile, members of the public are advised to maintain law and order, and ensure the safety of the market is not breached.
Correspondent Dauda Iliya reports that the state has recently witnessed upsurge in cases of fire outbreaks in IDP camps in about five local government areas which led to the arrest of an individual and interrogation of some NGOs allegedly involved in the act.
