According to Kazeem Sholadoye, the Kano State Controller of the Federal Fire Service, a fire outbreak in Gezawa Local Government Area has led to the destruction of property amounting to N80m.
Sholadoye revealed this in a recent telephone interview with PUNCH Online, also mentioning that an investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing and that items worth over N300m have been salvaged.
He stated, “The estimated value of goods lost to the fire is N80m, based on our initial assessment. Despite the ongoing investigation into the cause of the fire, our men reported that the amount of goods saved was N300m.”
PUNCH Online had previously reported the confirmation by the Kano State Fire Service of the death of one person and the burning of a truck in an incident at an illegal refinery and engine oil depot in the Katanga area of Wailari. This area is situated along Ring Road Bypass, opposite Maryam Shekarau Estate in Gezawa LGA of Kano State.
The Public Relations Officer of the state Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi, verified the incident, revealing that the fire started around 9.50am on Monday, and also caused destruction to four residential houses within the vicinity.
It took personnel of the Kano State Fire Service, the National Emergency Management Agency, and fire workers from Salbas Petrol Station over three hours to bring the fire under control.
Reports indicate that the location, surrounded by residential houses, is used for storing scraps of trucks and trailers in addition to fuel storage and refining of used engine oil for other purposes.