A major fire outbreak has destroyed several shops at the popular Oranyan Market in Ibadan, Oyo State, leaving traders counting their losses.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, with the blaze reportedly breaking out around midnight and affecting different sections of the market.
Traders dealing in gold, furniture, second-hand clothing and other commodities were among those reportedly affected by the inferno.
Although unverified reports suggested that more than 200 shops may have been destroyed, the Oyo State Fire Services said it was too early to determine the exact extent of the damage.
The Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services and Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reforms, Morof Akinwande, confirmed the incident in a telephone conversation.
Akinwande said preliminary information indicated that the fire started in the middle of the market following an explosion. He added that authorities had yet to determine whether the explosion was caused by gas or another source.
According to him, firefighters were able to bring the situation under control by about 1am, preventing the flames from spreading to other parts of the market.
He explained that officials would need to conduct a post-fire assessment before determining the number of shops destroyed and the value of goods lost.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over frequent fire outbreaks in markets across Oyo State, with traders often losing shops, merchandise and major investments to such disasters.
Oranyan Market had previously experienced a major fire in 2024, when its herbal section was reportedly affected and more than 200 shops were said to have been destroyed.
The Monday inferno occurred barely two days after another fire destroyed nine locked-up shops at the Nigerian Railway Shopping Complex near Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area.
The Oyo State Fire Services has commenced investigations to establish the cause of the latest outbreak.
