A fire incident on Friday night destroyed parts of the Palace of the Emir of Jama’a in Kafanchan, the administrative centre of Jema’a Local Government Area in Kaduna State.
Sources said that the section affected comprised apartments within the wing occupied by the Emir’s mother.
According to the sources, the fire reportedly started while the family was preparing for the early evening prayers (Magrib), sparking panic within the palace and nearby neighbourhood.
A visit to the palace later that night revealed lingering smoke and clear signs of devastation, with portions of the structure extensively damaged and several household belongings burnt to ashes.
Following the incident, residents and sympathisers gathered at the palace to show support for the Emir and his family.
Eyewitnesses said personnel from the Kaduna State Fire Service in Kafanchan responded to a distress call but could not immediately contain the flames, as their pumping machine reportedly failed to start on arrival.
Sources said the setback slowed initial firefighting operations, enabling the blaze to spread and destroy four flats before reinforcements arrived.
Community volunteers were also reported to have assisted in efforts to rescue valuables and stop the fire from reaching other parts of the palace.
As at the time of filing this report, no casualties had been recorded, though the inferno caused considerable damage.
The cause of the outbreak was yet to be determined, and authorities had not issued an official statement detailing the losses or circumstances surrounding the incident.
Residents of Kafanchan described the incident as unfortunate and urged improvements in emergency response services within the area.
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