Solar Fault Traced as Fire Razes Six Kano Buildings and Shops

​A devastating late-night fire outbreak at the Kofar Wanbai Market in Kano State has left six residential houses, multiple shops, and heavy storage facilities destroyed.

​The disaster occurred around 9:43 p.m. on Friday at the Babban Layi, Yan Robobi section of the market, according to an official statement released on Saturday by the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Fire Service, ACFO Saminu Abdullahi.

​The emergency response was triggered following a distress call placed by Principal Fire Superintendent Usman Idris Fagge. Firefighting units were promptly dispatched from the state headquarters alongside satellite stations at Rijiyar Zaki, Sabon Gari, Government House, and Bompai.

​operatives arrived to find a sprawling two-storey commercial and residential structure—measuring roughly 120 by 125 feet and heavily utilized for plastic retail and warehousing—engulfed in flames. Properties extensively damaged include the compounds of Alhaji Sani, Sani Muhammad, Alhaji Kwa Kwa, Alhaji Shafi’u, and Alhaji Sulaiman.

ADVERTISEMENT

​The fire service confirmed that the inferno consumed two shops on the ground floor, another two on the first floor, alongside six dedicated stores and four temporary storage units situated on the upper floor. Investigators established that the blaze originated on the top level due to a fault from a solar power system installation before cascading downward. Swift intervention by firefighters successfully contained the inferno, preventing it from sweeping across adjacent sections of the bustling commercial district.

​Reacting to the incident, the Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Alhaji Sani Anas, appealed to traders and local residents to exercise heightened caution regarding electrical installations and alternative energy systems. He strongly advocated for the mandatory installation of fire detectors and the placement of functional extinguishers within residential and commercial properties to safeguard lives and assets.