Fire outbreak Monday consumed 39 shops and furniture worth over N21 million at city furniture area of Kugbo furniture market in Abuja.
Some of the affected furniture makers at the market, stated that they were informed at around 12 am by the guards on duty about the incident.
Chairman of the city furniture area, Austin Onuh, who is also a victim, said the incident occurred late Monday night when all the shop owners had closed after work.
He regretted that most of the furniture burnt were given to them on contract by their customers.
He said: “We are yet to determine the cause of the inferno, but furniture worth over N 21 million naira have been burnt by the fire.
“Some of us here just returned from Christmas and New Year celebrations, and started work that our customers gave us, but this morning we only came to see ashes.”
Onuh appealed to FCT administration, spirited individuals and corporate organisations to support them.
He also called on the government to help the furniture makers provide measures that will prevent fire incident in the area.
Also, Timothy Eze, one of the affected furniture makers, said he has lost not less than N 8 million worth of furniture in his shop.
“Apart from the furniture, industrial machine, generators with several working equipment that is worth millions were also burnt.”
Another victim, Vincent Ngutsen, said over N 7 million finished and unfinished furniture were burnt in his shop located at the same area.
He said that despite efforts by the people around the area and the fire fighters, they were not able to salvage the fire.
