A late-night fire incident destroyed at least 12 shops at the Araromi Market in Agodi Gate, Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State.
The fire reportedly broke out around 11pm on Thursday within the cement trading area of the market. Before firefighters from the Oyo State Fire Service arrived, at least 12 shops had already been consumed by the flames.
Akinyemi Akinyinka, the Oyo State Fire Service Manager, issued a statement indicating that their control room received an emergency call at approximately 11pm, prompting immediate action. Unfortunately, by that time, the fire had already engulfed a dozen shops.
Akinyinka further highlighted that the firefighters’ swift response prevented greater damage, preserving goods valued at billions of naira. He attributed the cause of the blaze to an electrical surge which ignited nearby flammable materials.