By Godwin Otang, Calabar
A late-night fire outbreak has destroyed a popular timber market in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, leaving goods and property worth millions of naira in ruins.
The incident occurred at about 8:30 p.m. on March 27, 2026, at the timber market located beside the Police Barracks in Akim.
Preliminary reports suggested the fire may have been triggered by a spark from the public power supply within the market. Eyewitnesses, however, said the flames intensified because diesel was stored in one of the shops.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Cross River State Police Command, Sunday Eitokpah, said a coordinated emergency response was immediately activated.
According to him, police patrol and tactical teams were swiftly deployed to the scene, with the operation personally supervised by the Commissioner of Police, Rashid B Afegbua.
He added that the combined efforts of the police, the Cross River State Fire Service, and the University of Calabar Fire Service helped contain the inferno and prevent it from spreading to the nearby Police Barracks.
The fire was eventually brought under control at about 1:55 a.m. on March 28. No casualties were recorded, although extensive damage was done to timber and other materials.
Eitokpah said investigations into the cause of the fire have commenced and urged residents to adhere strictly to fire safety measures, particularly in markets and other public places.
The incident is reported to be one of the most severe in the state this year, coming days after a gas explosion destroyed a filling station in Calabar South.
An eyewitness, Tony Oyom, expressed concern over the state’s firefighting capacity, calling for improved emergency response systems to mitigate future incidents.
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