Goods worth millions of naira and several shops were destroyed on Tuesday as a midnight inferno tore through a section of Jos Main Market.
Our correspondent gathered that the fire, which started shortly before midnight, affected mostly traders dealing on shoes, clothings, cosmetics, provisions and allied products.
An eye witness told our correspondent that efforts to put off the fire was hampered by some hoodlums, who, apparently on looting spree, started throwing stones at men of the Plateau state fire service, who made spirited attempts to quench the raging fire.
However it was not until a reinforcement from soldiers and policemen drafted to the area that fire fighters were able to gain entrance.
But before then several shops and goods have been destroyed.
Chairman of Jos main market Association, Mustapha Ibrahim, who lamented the huge loss, said that a power surge might have be responsible for the incident .
He said several shops were razed and properties destroyed in the unfortunate event.
Meanwhile the Plateau state government has commiserated with the traders over the loss.
A statement signed by Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Lohya Ramnap , expressed the sympathy of the state government to the affected traders and their families .
Park of the statement reads, “The unfortunate fire outbreak is a devastating blow to the state’s economic hub and we shared in the grief of those who suffered losses.”
“We commended the bravery and swift action of the fire services and other volunteers who were involved in putting out the fire .”
“Government is calling on all market stakeholders to work together in prioritising safety and implementing necessary measures to avoid a recurrence of such unfortunate events .
“Traders are urged to continue to keep the prevailing peace in the state in spite the hardship that they might be going through as a result of the inferno.
“Note that Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s administration is commitment to stand with the affected traders during this challenging time and assure them of government’s support in mitigating the effects of the incident.
“The Governor His Excellency Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang has also mobilised a team to look into the cause of the inferno to forestal future occurrence, the statement added.
The Jos Main Market was gutted by fire since 2001 and all efforts by successive state governments to rebuild it had been unsuccessful. The traders had had to resort to makeshift shops constructed with planks without recourse to standards.