Ibadan, Oyo State —
An early morning fire outbreak on Friday razed no fewer than three shops in the Sango area of Ibadan, Oyo State, destroying goods and property estimated to be worth several millions of naira.
The inferno, which occurred at approximately 4:30 a.m. behind the Fart Oil filling station, was reportedly triggered by an electrical spark from a freezer that had been left plugged in overnight. Combustible materials in the vicinity are believed to have fueled the flames.
According to investigations, the fire consumed three out of ten adjoining prefabricated shops before the arrival of the fire service. Items lost in the blaze include commercial freezers, beverages, and other valuable merchandise.
Confirming the incident, the General Manager of the Oyo State Fire Service, Mr. Yemi Akinyinka, told PUNCH that a distress call was received at exactly 4:41 a.m. from CSP Adesina, reporting the fire outbreak.
“Our officers, led by ACFS Adedeji (Mrs), were immediately dispatched to the location. On arrival, three shops were already engulfed in flames. Our team acted swiftly to contain and extinguish the fire, successfully preventing it from spreading to the remaining shops,” Akinyinka said.
He noted that no lives were lost and no injuries were reported during the incident.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was caused by a spark from an electrical freezer that had been plugged in overnight and left unattended,” he added.
The swift response of the fire service ensured that surrounding shops and properties were saved, avoiding what could have been a more devastating loss.
