The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr Ramatu Aliyu had expressed her sympathies to victims of the Kubwa Market fire incident that claimed no fewer than six lives.
Aliyu expressed her sympathies on Saturday when she visited the scene alongside the FCT Director of Fire Services, Malam Sani Sa’idu, and other top members of the management staff of the FCT Emergency Management Agency.
The Minister warned traders not to sell highly inflammable materials in undesignated areas, in line with global best practices.
Aliyu, who commended the FCT Fire Service and other critical stakeholders for their proactive steps, lamented the high casualty recorded from the incident.
She expressed concern over frequent fire outbreaks in major markets across the territory, pledging that the FCT Administration would study how best to assist the victims.
The Minister revealed that the FCT Department of Development Control would be directed to remove all shanties along the road corridors to pave way for emergency operations.
Conducting the Minister around the scene, the Director, FCT Fire Service Malam Sani Sa’idu said the cause of the fire outbreak could not be immediately established, but that it reportedly started from a shop where kerosene was stocked.
Sa’idu also informed the Minister that as soon as the service received the distressed call from residents of the area, his personnel were deployed from the nearby Maitama Fire Outpost to Kubwa for the rescue operation.