No fewer than three shops were destroyed after a transformer explosion triggered a fire outbreak at the entrance of Aliade Main Market in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State.
The incident reportedly happened on Friday morning when an electricity transformer suddenly exploded, sparking a fire that quickly spread to nearby shops and burnt items within the affected stalls.
Eyewitnesses said the explosion was followed by heavy smoke and raging flames, forcing traders and passers-by to run for safety as the fire grew more intense.
Residents and shop owners reportedly made efforts to control the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other businesses in the market.
Three shops were affected in the incident, including two provision stores and a phone charging outlet.
The charging shop, owned by Mr. Nicodemus Anula, was completely destroyed, along with goods and equipment inside the affected stores.
Despite the extensive damage to property, no casualties were reported.
Following the incident, traders and residents raised concerns about how close the transformer was to commercial stalls.
They called on the relevant authorities and electricity distribution companies to urgently inspect power installations in the market to prevent similar incidents in the future.