A fresh fire disaster has struck Ibadan, leaving several shops destroyed at Bode Market in the Molete area and raising fresh concerns over market safety in Oyo State.
The fire broke out on Friday, with thick smoke seen billowing from parts of the busy market as traders and residents looked on. The cause of the blaze had not been established at the time of filing this report.
Officials of the Oyo State Fire Service quickly responded to the emergency and were deployed to the market to contain the flames and prevent the fire from spreading to nearby shops.
Emergency responders battled the inferno for several hours as traders attempted to salvage goods from the affected stalls. Their swift intervention helped stop the fire from engulfing larger sections of the market.
Authorities have yet to confirm the number of shops destroyed or provide an estimate of the financial losses suffered by business owners. An assessment of the damage is expected after firefighting operations are completed.
The latest incident comes just weeks after another major fire outbreak devastated parts of Dugbe Market, renewing calls for improved fire prevention measures across major markets in Ibadan.
Investigations are expected to determine the cause of the Bode Market fire as traders count their losses and await further updates from emergency officials.
