Over 500 shops and stalls were razed in a fire that broke out at Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan, Oyo State, causing extensive damage to goods and property worth millions of naira.
The South-West Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Kadiri Olanrewaju, confirmed the incident on Thursday, stating that the fire started around 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday in the Ibadan South-West Local Government Area.
According to Olanrewaju, preliminary assessments suggest financial losses could run into hundreds of millions of naira, as many traders had recently restocked their businesses.
He added that while no lives were lost, several individuals sustained minor injuries from smoke inhalation and shock while trying to salvage their goods.
“Eyewitness accounts indicate that the fire started in the Plastic Merchants section of the market before spreading rapidly due to the highly flammable nature of the stored goods,” Olanrewaju said.
Emergency response teams, including the state fire service, private fire units from SWEETCO and SUMAL, market security personnel, and local volunteers, worked to contain the fire.
However, efforts were hampered by the lack of a functional fire truck at the market’s fire station and an inadequate water supply.
Despite these challenges, responders managed to prevent the flames from engulfing other sections of the market.
Following the incident, Oyo State Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal visited the market to assess the damage. The state government has pledged immediate relief for affected traders through the State Emergency Management Agency and NEMA.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire and exploring measures to prevent future occurrences. NEMA has advised that fire safety protocols be strengthened, including equipping market fire stations with functional trucks and sufficient water supply, conducting regular fire drills, and establishing an emergency response unit within the market.
Olanrewaju also emphasized the need for collaboration between the federal and state governments and private organizations to improve disaster response.
“Supporting affected traders and providing emergency relief packages will help them recover from this devastating incident,” he said.
