Fire destroys 15 shops in Oyo market

A fire destroyed 15 shops at the Bodija food market in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State on Monday. The fire caused damage worth millions of naira, destroying goods and other valuables.

Our investigation found that the fire began in one shop and quickly spread to others in the market.

Moroof Akinwande, the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Services Reform, confirmed the incident in a statement. He expressed shock at the extent of the damage caused by the fire.

Akinwande said the fire was likely caused by an electrical fault in one of the shops. He noted that firefighters arrived in time to stop the fire from spreading further.

The statement said, "The firefighting crew, led by Assistant Chief Fire Superintendent Bamidele, promptly mobilised and responded to the scene. On arrival, the crew discovered that 15 out of a row of 44 shops had been engulfed by flames, with thick smoke billowing from the affected premises."

The firefighters quickly started their work and managed to control the fire, preventing it from spreading to more shops.

The statement added that the firefighters limited the damage to the shops that were affected. It also mentioned that the fire was likely caused by an electrical surge from faulty wiring.

To help avoid similar incidents in the future, Akinwande highlighted the need for commercial buildings, shops, and homes to have functional fire extinguishers. He encouraged traders and residents to take fire safety measures seriously to manage any outbreaks early.