Fire Destroys 15-Shops In Ogun Market, Leaving One Injured

The fire reportedly began around 10:15 pm on Saturday in one of the makeshift shops outside the market.

According to an eyewitness, the fire was caused by a power surge in a palm kernel shop that was using gas.

Ireporteronline reported that the goods lost in the fire included rice, provisions, bananas, pots, and more.

On Sunday morning, some traders were seen weeping over their losses during a visit to the market.

A couple, Basiru and Tolani Moses, had their adjacent shops completely destroyed by the fire. Basiru stated that N500,000 in cash was burnt, along with goods worth N1.5 million. The cash was intended for deposit at the bank on Monday.

The market leader, Mrs. Tejumade Bakre, lamented that there was looting after the incident, but security agents eventually contained the situation.

The Commissioner for Special Duties, Funmi Efuwape, the Director of the State Emergency Management Agency (OGSEMA), Wale Sonde, the Director of State Fire Service, Fatai Adefala, and the Chairman of Abeokuta South Local Government, Omolaja Majekodunmi, visited the market on Sunday morning to assess the situation.

Efuwape told reporters, “The fire outbreak was due to the shanties erected outside the main market building. Now that traders have seen the consequences, I believe they will agree that these shanties must be removed.”

“About ten shops were affected outside and five inside. The five inside would not have been affected if the shanties outside were not there. The fire started from the illegal structures outside and spread to the main building.”

Efuwape announced that the main market building will undergo an integrity test to ensure its safety, and the government will implement measures to renovate the market.

The Fire Service chief, Adefala, said, “We were called around 10:15 pm and our men arrived promptly, but accessing the market was challenging, so we had to go through the back to trace the fire’s origin.”

“It was a power surge. A palm kernel shop was recycling using gas, which led to the fire outbreak and explosion. The fire started from these chalets outside the main Lipede market.”