The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that four people lost their lives, while 50 others sustained injuries following a devastating explosion at the Talata Mafara market in Zamfara State on Tuesday.
In a statement on Wednesday, NEMA’s Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, stated that a rescue team was promptly dispatched from the agency’s Sokoto Operations Office to assist in the emergency response.Preliminary findings indicate that the explosion resulted from a fire outbreak, which caused extensive damage to shops and stalls within the market.
According to Mrs. Umar, eyewitness accounts suggest that the fire was triggered by a discarded cigarette butt that ignited highly combustible materials.
Of the 50 injured victims, 46 have been transferred to Usman Dan Fodio University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto, where they are receiving treatment in various units, including orthopedics, surgery, ICU burn unit, and ENT departments.
NEMA has assured the public that it is working closely with the Zamfara State Emergency Management Agency and other relevant authorities to support the victims and prevent further casualties.Mrs. Umar further emphasized that emergency response efforts are ongoing to assist affected traders and restore normalcy in the area.
