Fourteen shops were destroyed by fire yesterday at Ogundipe Market, Ibadan, Oyo State.
The special adviser on Fire Reform/chairman of the Fire Services Agency, Moroof Adebayo Akinwande, who confirmed the incident, said the fire emergency call was received through telephoning at exactly 03:50hrs on Wednesday, and that shops were on fire at the above address.
He said fire personnel led by CFS Olayiwola T.K promptly mobilised and responded to the distressed call.
According to him, 14 out of 42 shops were well alight on arrival. They swiftly swung into action, and the fire was contained and prevented from spreading to other nearby shops in the market.
“No casualty was recorded. The operation was carried out successfully, and the fire service officers saved properties worth billions of naira. The post-fire incident investigation is in progress to ascertain the root cause of the fire incident.
He urged traders across the state to be conscious of fire and emphasised the importance of having extinguishers in their respective shops to prevent fire incidents when they first start.
Also, on Wednesday, a four-bedroom flat was destroyed at No. 17, Ifesowapo Maternity, zone 2, Ajoda, Egbeda, Ibadan.
The special adviser on Fire Reform/ chairman of the Fire Services Agency, Moroof Adebayo Akinwande, who confirmed the incident, said the distressed call was received at exactly 00:42hrs on Wednesday through a telephone call.
He said that after receiving the address, firemen led by ACFS Adisa Wasiu promptly mobilised and deployed to the incident scene.
“On getting there, it was a private residential building of a four-bedroom flat and an adjoining two-bathroom flat engulfed by fire. Our officers swiftly swung into action, preventing the fire from spreading to nearby buildings and properties.
“No casualty was recorded and properties worth millions of naira were lost. The fire incident resulted from an electricity surge ignited from a plugged electrical gadget unattended to”.
He urged the public to always switch off and unplug all electrical appliances when not in use, particularly after closing work in their various workplaces and when going to bed at night, to avoid an imminent fire outbreak.
