Goods and valuable properties were destroyed on Monday evening after a fire outbreak ravaged several shops at Ogunpa Market in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The incident occurred at the Iya Maryam Adebara Complex, Rounda area of the market. Eyewitness accounts indicate that no fewer than 10 shops were engulfed by flames before emergency responders brought the situation under control.
Confirming the development, the Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Hon. Maroof Akinwande, disclosed that firefighters responded promptly to a distress call and arrived at the scene to find multiple shops already consumed by fire.
“Upon arrival, we met ten shops out of several in the market engulfed by flames. Our officers swiftly got into action and prevented the fire from spreading to other shops and nearby properties,” he said.
Akinwande added that personnel of the Federal Fire Service collaborated with the state fire service to contain and extinguish the blaze. He confirmed that no casualties were recorded during the incident.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was triggered while a shop occupant was refueling a running generator, leading to ignition and rapid spread of flames within the market complex.
Despite the destruction of goods and household items, the fire service chairman noted that properties worth billions of naira were salvaged due to the swift intervention of firefighters.
The incident has once again highlighted the risks associated with unsafe handling of fuel and generators in densely populated commercial areas. Authorities have urged traders to adhere strictly to safety guidelines to prevent future occurrences.
