Chaos erupted on Monday morning when a massive fire swept through Oranya Market in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of Oyo State, destroying about 300 shops.
The inferno affected traders dealing in gold, furniture, second-hand clothes, and other goods.
Confirming the incident, Morof Akinwande, Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reforms and Chairman of the State Fire Services, said the blaze began in the middle of the market with an explosion.
“Whether it’s a gas explosion or something else, we cannot yet ascertain. But when you have a gas explosion, it spreads quickly. As I speak, the situation has been under control since 1 am,” he stated.
This tragedy comes just two days after another fire razed nine shops at the Nigerian Railway shopping complex near Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan South-West.
That incident, which started around 5:00 am, also caused significant damage before firefighters arrived.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the latest fire while affected traders count their losses.
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