Fire razes Funtua market
From MU’AWIYA BALA IDRIS, Katsina

FIRE has razed down at about 160 shops at Funtua market in Katsina state.
The inferno which started it about 10:30 pm on Saturday lasted for about four hours due to lack of accessible roads for the fire service men to control it.
Daily Triumph checks revealed that as a result of the incidence, hundreds of traders have lost properties running into millions of Naira.
The incidence, which has become a yearly event, constituted a serious concern to both traders and authorities because of the failure by various committees set up to investigate remote and immediate causes to come up with viable solutions.
Our correspondent learnt that recent fire incident is the worst in the series of fire outbreaks that tourched the market as nearly all the shops were razed down.
Also the therefore outbreak came at a time the Funtua local government council had expended about N40 million an the construction of the shops in the market as a result of the previous fire incident.
The chairman of Funtua local government council, Alhaji Mukhtari ‘Yandutse confirmed to Daily Triumph that a committee has been set up to investigate the real cause of the fire and that the committee was given two weeks within which to submit its report.
The chairman, however, explained that the fire has not affected the newly constructed shops by the council.
Alhaji ‘Yandutse while sympathizing with the traders, assured that his council will come to their aid.
Also speaking on the issue, a member of the state House of Assembly representing Katsina, Alhaji Musa Adamu, described the fire as a disaster and prayed to God to guard its recurrence.
Alhaji Adamu commended Funtua council for its prompt action on the issue and urged the to well to do to assist the victims.