FIRE GUTS SHOPS IN IBADAN COMPLEX

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HOTJIST NEWS

A fire happened on Saturday and burned down nine shops that were locked at the Nigerian Railway shopping complex, which is near the busy Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State.

According to the press, many items like goods and household things worth millions of naira were lost in the fire. It was also found out that the fire began around 5 am on Saturday and caused damage before the firefighters were called.

One of the shop owners, Busari Olayemi, said that people living in Quarter 4 told the shop owners about the fire around 6 am.

Olayemi, who runs an interior decoration business with his partner, Adebola Adeniyi, said, “The fire destroyed products worth about N21 million, including window blinds, curtain fabrics, industrial sewing machines and other equipment.

“What happened here destroyed a lot of things. Our customers’ fabrics were burnt; you can see them over there. Our industrial sewing machines and tools were burnt right there,” one of the affected shop owners lamented.

Confirming the incident in a statement released in Ibadan, the state capital, on Saturday, the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reform and Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Moroof Akinwande, said, “The fire incident was reported at exactly 05:58 am through a telephone call from Taofeek, who alerted the agency to a fire outbreak at shops within the complex.

“The firefighting crew, led by Chief Fire Superintendent Adesina, promptly mobilised to the scene. Upon arrival, the crew discovered that nine locked-up shops, out of several shops within the complex, were engulfed in flames, with thick smoke billowing from the affected premises.

“The crew immediately commenced firefighting operations and called for reinforcement. A second fire truck with a 10,000-litre water capacity was subsequently deployed to the scene.

“Through the combined efforts of the firefighting crews, the fire was brought under control and completely extinguished within a short period, thereby preventing its spread to adjoining shops and properties.

“No casualty was recorded. Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was suspected to have been caused by an electrical surge, which ignited combustible materials within the affected shops,” he said.

Akinwande, therefore, urged members of the public to remain vigilant and fire-conscious at all times.