Ibadan fire destroys 14 shops at Ogundipe Market, Oyo officials confirm, though billions of naira in property were saved by swift firefighting action
The Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reform and Chairman of the State Fire Services Agency, Moroof Akinwande, confirmed the outbreak in a statement.
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He revealed that fire personnel led by CFS Olayiwola T.K. mobilised swiftly after a distress call and arrived to find 14 out of 42 shops already alight.
Firefighters curtailed the blaze and prevented it from spreading to surrounding shops. “No casualty was recorded.
The operation was carried out successfully, and properties worth billions of naira were saved by the officers of the fire service,” Akinwande noted.
He added that an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the fire, while urging traders to keep fire extinguishers in their shops to contain small outbreaks at the earliest stage.
In a separate incident on the same day, a four-bedroom flat was destroyed in Egbeda Local Government Area.
Fire officials led by ACFS Adisa Wasiu responded to the 12:42 am call and found a residential building engulfed in flames.
Swift action prevented the fire from spreading to nearby properties, though millions of naira worth of valuables were lost.
Akinwande attributed the residential blaze to an electrical surge from an unattended gadget.
He appealed to residents to switch off and unplug electrical appliances when not in use, especially overnight, to avoid preventable tragedies.
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The twin incidents have renewed concern over fire safety in Ibadan, underscoring the need for vigilance as well as proper safety measures in both commercial and residential areas.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
