No fewer than 120 shops and a variety of goods were Thursday, destroyed as the Kabong market in Jos, Plateau state, went up in flames.

ViewPointNigeria gathered that the intense night inferno started around 4:00am, however, the exact cause of the fire had not been clearly ascertained as at press time.

The Chairman, Kabong Market Traders Association, Mr. Christopher Jama, addressing newsmen at the scene of the inferno, said the fire must have been purportedly caused by an electrical spark when public power supply was restored in the night.

The burnt section could not be accessed as some shops were still in flames, while others had thick smoke billowing from them, making visibility very difficult.

Briefing the Plateau state Governor, Simon Lalong, who visited the scene, the Chairman said that 118 shops were completely burnt, and noted that goods destroyed included bags of maize, beans, rice, and poultry products.

Jama appealed to the governor to come to the aid of the affected traders ‘whose means of livelihood had been destroyed’.

The Governor, expressing deep shock at the development, promised to remodel the market and also address the traders’ plight.

Lalong said, “Government was already working towards remodeling before the inferno.

He directed the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce to liaise with the market union to get details of the incident.

He, however, expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost.

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Fire destroys market in Jos, up to 120 shops gutted