Two separate fire outbreaks on Wednesday destroyed 14 shops at Ogundipe Market in Ibadan and a four-bedroom flat in Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Confirming the incidents, the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reform and Chairman of the State Fire Services Agency, Moroof Akinwande, said firefighters acted swiftly to contain the situation.
“At Ogundipe Market, our team, led by Chief Fire Superintendent Olayiwola T.K., arrived to meet 14 out of 42 shops already burning. They quickly went into action and prevented the fire from spreading further,” Akinwande explained.
He stressed that no lives were lost and that “properties worth billions of naira were saved by the officers of the fire service.” An investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the market fire.
In the second incident, fire razed a four-bedroom apartment with an adjoining two-bathroom flat at Ifesowapo Maternity Zone 2, Ajoda, Egbeda. Akinwande disclosed that the outbreak occurred around 12:42 a.m. and was caused by an electrical surge.
“Firemen led by Assistant Chief Fire Superintendent Adisa Wasiu curtailed the blaze and stopped it from spreading to nearby houses. Unfortunately, properties worth millions of naira were lost,” he said.
He advised residents and traders across the state to adopt preventive measures. “People should always switch off and unplug electrical appliances when not in use, especially after the close of work or before going to bed. Also, traders must have extinguishers in their shops to tackle small fires before they spread,” he urged.
No casualties were recorded in both incidents.
