Some of the goods that were destroyed by the fire included motorcycles, textiles, electronics, tiles, dozens of fans, generators, provisions, etc.
File Photo
A group of 100 traders in Kebbi State have lost goods worth over N800m in a fire incident as the trailer bringing their goods to Birnin Kebbi was involved in a fire accident.
According to an eye witness the trailer was on its way to Birnin Kebbi from a depot in Jega where it conveyed the goods but got hooked to an overhead electric cable which ignited the fire.
The vehicle was chartered by 100 retailers in Birnin Kebbi Central Market to transport their goods which arrived from Sokoto, Kano, Ibadan, Kaduna and Lagos for final distribution to their customers.
Some of the goods that were destroyed by the fire included motorcycles, textiles, electronics,tiles, dozens of fans, generators, provisions, drums of engine oil, kegs of vegetable oil, and other valuable items put at about N800m.
An eye witness, Alhaji Adamu Tanko told a Daily Trust Correspondent that ” The trailer was carrying a full load of goods on it way to Birnin Kebbi when it cut down a cable on the high way which resulted in electrical surge and immediately ignited fire.It burnt down the vehicle and the goods before help could come”.
He said the driver and one other person in the vehicle escaped unhurt as the fire engulfed the trailer.
One of the owners of the goods , Alhaji Faruq Hamidu told Daily Trust correspondent that the goods was ordered from Lagos, Ibadan,Kano,Sokoto and Kaduna by about 100 of them but they lost all the goods to fire.
He said “The trailer carried about N800m worth of goods from the receipts in our possession. We have set up a committee to ascertain the worth of all the goods lost in the incident. As I speak to you now, we are still receiving more receipts from the victims involved”.
The Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) DSP Danjuma Possy confirmed the incident. He said the incident happened at about 11 am but no death was recorded in the incident.