By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
NO fewer than 25 shops were, at the wee hours of Saturday, gutted by fire at Araromi Spare Parts Market, Agodi Gate, Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
The magnitude of losses are reportedly unimaginable as many of the shop owners, still in shock, could not mumble a word.
Stonix News reports that the incident was the second in the series in the last two and a half years.
It was gathered that the fire started from one of the shops before it later spread to other shops owing to late arrival of men of the Oyo State Fire Services.
Director of the state’s Fire Services, Engr. Adeleke Ismail, however, said that his men got the information 30 minutes after the fire began to rage.
According to him, one Mr Soliu, whose house is 30 metres from the popular market, alerted the agency of the incident.
The State Fire Service reports that “The fire incident was reported at exactly 02:31hrs of Saturday 14th, January 2023 by Mr Soliu alerting the Agency of the market on fire at Araromi (iso part) Agodi Gate, Ibadan.
“Immediately after the address of the incident was taken, the fire contingent promptly deployed to the scene.
“On arrival at the place of the fire incident, some shops were met well alight because the fire has been burning for about 30 minutes before Fire Services Agency was called.
“The fire crew swung into action and restricted the fire from further destruction to near shops.
“The fire was completely extinguished without leaving a stone unturned.
“The fire incident was a result of the scavengers burning disused tyres at the place and the fire ignited the nearby combustibles and set the shops a blazed,” the fire boss noted, admonishing traders to desist from blocking access roads to all units of the market for easy access by emergency workers.
Stonix News gathered that the fire ravaged 24 prefabricated shops where motor tyres, planks, generating sets, among others were stored.
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