A fire has gutted the Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan, Oyo State, destroying shops and goods worth millions of naira.
The fire reportedly started around 9pm on Tuesday, allegedly caused by an electrical spark in a shop selling plastics.
A witness, Muideen Azeez said, “The fire started in the shop and spread rapidly to other stores after igniting goods that had just been offloaded from a trailer.”
Efforts by first responders to contain the fire were unsuccessful.
Witnesses said the damage could have been minimised if the market’s fire service station had been operational.
The Chairman of Ibadan South-West LGA, Kehinde Akanni, confirmed that no casualties were recorded and that the cause of the fire was yet to be determined.
“The government will step in to assist the affected traders and review safety measures. Security operatives are assessing the situation to determine the extent of the damage and prevent future occurrences,” he said.
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