Abuja furniture market burns as ₦1.8bn worth of goods Saved

Emergency responders spent several hours battling a massive blaze that tore through sections of the Kugbo Furniture Market in Abuja on Sunday morning, saving an estimated ₦1.8 billion worth of property from destruction.

The Federal Fire Service reported that the fire, believed to have originated from an electrical surge, started in the early hours at one of the Federal Capital Territory’s largest furniture trading centers. The market’s inventory of highly flammable materials created significant risk for rapid fire spread.

Emergency crews received the distress call at their control room around 8:37am, immediately deploying firefighters from the National Headquarters’ Special Unit, according to DCF Paul Abraham, the Service’s National Public Relations Officer and Head of Corporate Services.

The response included two high-capacity ground monitor units from headquarters and an additional truck from Nyanya Fire Station. FCT Fire Service personnel also joined the emergency operation.

After more than three hours of sustained firefighting efforts, crews from both services managed to contain the flames and prevent further damage. Officials estimate the market’s total value exceeds ₦2 billion.

Federal Fire Service Controller General Olumode Samuel Adeyemi praised the firefighters’ courage and professional handling of the incident. He emphasized that quick emergency reporting plays a crucial role in minimizing property losses.

Adeyemi called on Nigerians to immediately notify authorities when emergencies occur, explaining that prompt alerts allow for faster response times and better resource deployment.