A devastating fire has razed part of Owode Market in Offa, Kwara State, during the early hours of Tuesday, leaving several shops engulfed in flames.
Distraught shop owners were captured on video by SaharaReporters mourning the loss of their property as the fire spread uncontrollably.
“This fire is too much. This is not caused by electricity. Maybe some people were cooking and the fire started from there because this fire is much,” lamented one of the traders in the video, reflecting the anguish and speculation surrounding the cause of the inferno.
Fortunately, personnel from the Federal Fire Service and Kwara State Fire Service managed to extinguish the blaze, though not before it had wreaked havoc on the market. Initial reports indicate that at least five shops bore the brunt of the fire, with the full extent of the damage yet to be assessed.
“The authorities are still assessing the situation, but personally, I know at least five shops were affected. The worth of goods and property destroyed can’t be said now until the assessment ends,” revealed a local source, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the financial toll of the disaster.
“There are also several claims as to the cause of the fire until we wait for the fire service to release their statement on it,” the source added, stressing the importance of an official investigation to determine the root cause of the tragic incident.
This latest blaze adds to a series of fire-related tragedies that have struck Kwara State in recent months. Barely eight months prior, a residential building in Offa fell victim to a midnight fire, resulting in the destruction of property worth N6.5 million. The fire, which erupted around 1:05 am at Kowope compound in the Olorunkuse area, ravaged a two-bedroom flat and four adjacent shops, compounding the losses suffered by the local community.
Similarly, in December, two separate incidents rocked the Tanke area of Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, leaving no fewer than 14 shops in ashes. The first incident saw seven shops at Zion Overcomer, opposite Duro Suleiman house on University Road, razed to the ground, followed by another blaze at Tanke Oke-Odo area, where an additional seven shops succumbed to the flames at approximately 1:30 am.
These recurring tragedies accentuate the vulnerability of markets and residential areas to fire outbreaks, prompting calls for enhanced fire safety measures and greater community vigilance. As affected communities pick up the pieces in the wake of these disasters, the need for proactive measures to prevent future calamities becomes more urgent than ever.
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