A devastating fire that gutted parts of Fashaya Plaza near the Warri Main Market in Warri, Delta State, has reignited concerns about fire safety and emergency response capacity in Nigeria, with fire protection experts warning that the disaster could have been prevented.
The Delta State branch of the Fire Protection Association of Nigeria (FPAN) made this known during a press conference held on Wednesday at King George Hall in the Warri South Local Government sub-secretariat.
Addressing newsmen on behalf of the association’s national president, Shehu Dambatta, the Delta State Chairman of FPAN, Mr Ukor Friday Chidubem, expressed sympathy to traders and shop owners who lost their goods and sources of livelihood in the blaze.
“We empathise with the people of Warri and particularly the traders affected by this painful incident,” Chidubem said, noting that many victims lost their businesses and investments.
“As professionals, we know that incidents like this are preventable and the losses could have been minimised if assets were properly protected,” he said.
Chidubem clarified that the actual cause of the fire has not yet been determined and remains under investigation by relevant authorities.
He explained that FPAN is not a fire service agency but a professional body made up of fire safety specialists drawn from various commands and sectors of the fire profession.
According to him, firefighters from the Delta State Fire Service responded to the incident, with support from other emergency units, eventually bringing the blaze under control.
The FPAN chairman warned that market fires are becoming increasingly common across Nigeria. He disclosed that 1,866 fire incidents were recorded nationwide last year, including 190 cases involving markets, resulting in 39 deaths.
He attributed the trend largely to overcrowded markets and the lack of basic fire safety infrastructure.
“Our markets were designed for smaller populations, but urban growth has made them overcrowded,” he said, adding that responders often struggle to access the scene because of congestion.
He urged traders and market associations to install fire safety equipment, such as extinguishers and ensure that security personnel and traders are trained to use them.
“Many fires escalate because no one is able to tackle them at the early stage,” he said.
Meanwhile, the President-General of the Main Market Traders Association, Chief Alex Idiegbe, who was among some stakeholders at the press conference, blamed the scale of the destruction on inadequate equipment available to firefighters.
Idiegbe said the Delta State Fire Service possesses capable personnel but lacks the operational tools needed to fight fires effectively.
According to him, firefighters often struggle with limited access to water, pumping machines and reliable electricity.
He added that traders had previously discussed raising funds to help procure equipment for the fire service but were informed that the lack of electricity would still make it difficult to operate such machines.
Idiegbe therefore called on the Delta State Government to properly equip the fire service to enable faster and more effective response to emergencies.
Also speaking, the coordinator of Fashaya Plaza, Chimezie Chukwuma, explained that traders attempted to control the fire before firefighters arrived.
He said the fire service initially responded quickly, raising hopes among traders that the situation would soon be contained.
However, he said the firefighters had to withdraw after their water supply was exhausted within minutes.
According to him, it took about 30 to 40 minutes before another firefighting unit arrived with additional equipment and water, by which time the fire had already caused significant damage.
Chukwuma said the incident showed the need for improved firefighting equipment and better preparedness to prevent similar disasters in the future.
FPAN also announced that its 2026 National Conference on Fire in Nigeria will be hosted in Warri in August.
According to Chidubem, the conference will focus on the theme “Building a Fire-Safe Nigeria: New Age Strategies for Prevention and Mitigation.”
He said the event will bring together experts from Nigeria and abroad to share modern fire prevention strategies and promote improved safety practices.
Chidubem added that communities, corporate organisations, traders’ associations and the media would be encouraged to participate in the conference to deepen public awareness on fire safety.
