An explosion inside Oranya Market in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of Oyo State triggered a major fire that destroyed several shops and sent traders into panic on Monday morning.
The blaze, which reportedly began from the middle of the market, affected traders dealing in gold, furniture, second-hand clothing and other goods.
Although early reports put the number of affected shops at about 300, the exact figure was yet to be established as of Monday.
The Special Adviser to the Oyo State Governor on Fire Reforms and Chairman of the state Fire Services, Morof Akinwande, confirmed the incident, saying officials were still working to determine the extent of the damage.
“Yes, it occurred. That number we cannot ascertain, but what is known is that some shops were destroyed and the fire incident started in the middle of the market with an explosion,” Akinwande said.
He said it was not immediately clear whether the explosion was caused by gas or another source, noting that an explosion could accelerate the spread of fire within a crowded market.
“Whether it’s a gas explosion or other things. And when you have a gas explosion, it would spread, but as I am talking to you, the situation has been under control since 1am,” he said.
The incident adds to a series of market-related fire outbreaks recorded in Ibadan in recent days.
On Saturday, August 22, nine locked-up shops were destroyed by fire at the Nigerian Railway shopping complex along the Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area.
That fire reportedly started at about 5am before firefighters were alerted, resulting in damage to the affected shops.
The latest incident has again raised concerns over fire safety in Ibadan markets, particularly the need for early detection and rapid response to prevent fires from spreading across tightly packed commercial areas.
