•Fire outbreak
Hundreds of shops have been destroyed today in a fire outbreak at the popular Oranyan Market in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The fire, which reportedly started around midnight, affected several sections of the market, with traders dealing in gold, furniture, second-hand clothing and other goods said to be among those whose shops were destroyed, reports Channels TV.
Eyewitness accounts noted that the fire started around midnight, although they could not give the exact time.
Unconfirmed reports put the number of affected shops at more than 200.
One of the eyewitness accounts claimed that “The fire started around midnight. I cannot be specific about that time. Those affected were gold sellers, furniture sellers, second-hand clothes sellers and many others”.
This latest inferno has been described as very devastating, as the scale of destruction was difficult to comprehend.
The Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reforms and Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services, Morof Akinwande, confirmed the incident when contacted on the telephone.
Akinwande, however, cautioned against putting a figure on the number of shops destroyed at this stage, saying an assessment of the damage would only be possible after the fire outbreak investigation.
He disclosed that the fire reportedly started in the middle of the market following an explosion, while noting that it was yet to be established whether the explosion was caused by gas or another source.
According to him, the situation had been brought under control by 1 am, preventing the fire from spreading further.
He said, “Yes, it occurred. That number we cannot ascertain, but what is known is that some shops were destroyed and the fire incident started in the middle of the market with an explosion.
“Whether it’s a gas explosion or other things. And when you have a gas explosion, it would spread, but as I am talking to you, the situation has been under control since 1 am.
“On the number of shops and inventory, that is too early because that’s post-fire outbreak investigation. So, I cannot be accurate about the number of shops that were destroyed. But shops were actually gone.”
The latest incident has again raised concerns over recurring fire outbreaks in major markets across the state, with traders facing the risk of losing their livelihoods and investments.
It would be recalled that a similar fire incident occurred at the herbal section of the Oranyan Market in 2024, when more than 200 shops were reportedly completely razed.
The latest incident also comes barely two days after another fire outbreak destroyed nine locked-up shops at the Nigerian Railway Shopping Complex along the popular Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The Oyo State Fire Agency has begun an investigation into the cause of the inferno.
