In the early hours of Monday, a fire broke out in Trademore Estate, Lugbe, Abuja, destroying the estate’s only market and leaving residents reeling from the aftermath. The inferno reportedly started around 3:30 a.m., shortly after power was restored by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), according to Channels TV.
Eyewitnesses suspect the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, though the exact cause remains unclear. Joe, a resident who was among the first to respond, described the chaos and fear that unfolded as the fire spread.
“I was alerted around 4 a.m., and by then, the fire had already spread. We couldn’t immediately determine the cause, but we suspect it might be an electrical fault,” he told Vanguard.
Sad morning as Trademore food market raised down by fire, the fire was alleged to have been caused by a gas explosion inside the market. egungun Temu Olamide #gistlover pic.twitter.com/bUkZPPU34w
— Éfì Ukwu (@ZikiAnyaogu) December 2, 2024
Efforts by residents to contact emergency responders initially proved futile. According to Joe, it wasn’t until around 5 a.m. that firefighters from Dunamis Church arrived, followed by teams from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Sauka Station.
“Two hours after the fire began, emergency responders finally brought the situation under control, extinguishing the flames and preventing their further spread,” Joe added.
At the time of filing this report, the full extent of the damage and the value of goods lost have not been determined. Traders and residents are now faced with the daunting task of rebuilding their lives amid the ruins of the market.
This fire is the latest challenge for Trademore Estate, which has experienced repeated flooding incidents in recent years. In June 2023, heavy rainfall submerged over 100 houses in the estate, leaving residents displaced. Similar flooding events were also reported this year, with allegations that at least two individuals were swept away by floodwaters.
As of now, authorities have yet to release an official statement regarding the fire, and investigations into its cause are ongoing. Residents and traders are calling for improved disaster response and preventive measures to avoid future tragedies.
