An early morning fire outbreak has destroyed five rows of shops at Agbeni Market in Ibadan on Sunday. The incident led to the loss of property worth millions of naira.
According to the General Manager of Oyo State Fire Service, Yemi Akinyinka, who confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria, the fire was put out in due time. The incident occurred at about 4:37 a.m. when the market was not yet open for business.
Reportedly, a security guard at a nearby bank alerted the fire service, which intervened and was able to prevent the inferno from spreading to other parts of the market.
While no life was lost, the fire caused significant damage to the affected shops and merchandise therein. As of the time of the report, investigations into the cause of the fire were still ongoing.
The General Manager of the Oyo State Fire Service expressed his gratitude to the CBN Fire Service for granting them access to its fire hydrant to combat the blaze. He also urged market traders and shop owners to ensure that they install fire safety equipment in their shops to prevent such incidents in the future.
This unfortunate occurrence in Ibadan highlights the need for improved safety measures in public and commercial spaces across the country. It is vital that fire prevention measures are put in place to safeguard lives and property.
