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

Sources told the News Agency of Nigeria that the affected apartments were part of the wing occupied by Muhammad Muhammadu II’s mother.

The fire reportedly started as the family was preparing for the early evening (Magrib) prayers, causing panic within the palace and the surrounding neighbourhood.

When journalists visited the palace on Friday night, parts of the building were still smouldering, with visible signs of destruction. Sections of the affected structure were badly burnt, and several household items were reduced to ashes.

Residents and sympathisers trooped to the palace to express solidarity with the Emir and his family.

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

The malfunction, sources said, hampered early firefighting efforts, allowing the fire to spread and consume four flats before additional assistance was mobilised. Local volunteers reportedly joined efforts to salvage belongings and prevent further spread.

No casualties had been confirmed as of the time of filing this report, but the incident caused significant damage. Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the cause of the fire or the full extent of the losses.

Residents described the inferno as unfortunate and called for improved emergency response capacity in the area.