Fire guts Kaduna Emir’s palace

A fire outbreak on Friday razed parts of the palace of the Emir of Jama’a in Kafanchan, the headquarters of Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

It was gathered that the affected apartments were part of the wing occupied by the Emir’s mother.

Sources disclosed that the fire started while the family was preparing for the evening prayers (Magrib), triggering panic within the palace and the surrounding neighbourhood.

There were still smoulders, with visible traces of the destruction, with sections of the affected building badly burnt and several household items reduced to ashes on Friday night.

Residents and sympathisers thronged the palace to express solidarity with the Emir and members of his family.

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Eyewitnesses said officials of the Kaduna State Fire Service in Kafanchan responded to a distress call but were unable to contain the blaze as their pumping machine reportedly failed to start upon arrival.

The development, sources said, hampered early firefighting efforts, allowing the fire to spread and raze four flats before additional support was mobilised.

Although no casualties had been reported as of the time of this report, the incident had caused significant damages.

The cause of the fire remained unknown, while the authorities were yet to issue an official statement on the extent of the losses or the circumstances surrounding the outbreak.

The Star