Millions lost as fire razes Ibadan auto spare parts market

Goods worth hundred of millions of naira, yesterday, got razed by fire at Araromi Auto Spare Parts Market, in the Agodi-Gate area of Ibadan, Oyo State.

Eyewitnesses revealed that the inferno started around 2am. Some of the spare parts sellers claimed that indiscriminate burning of refuse caused the inferno.

A trader, who simply identified himself as Samuel Olawale, alleged that the fire escalated owing to the failure of the fire service to gain access to the market on time.

Another trader, Tolu Ajayi, said: “I was informed around 3 am that there was a fire outbreak in the market. By the time I got there, goods worth millions of naira had been burnt.”

Speaking on the incident, the General Manager of the state fire service, Rev. Canon Yemi Akinyinka, said that his men got to the scene around 2:30 am and successfully contained the fire around 5am.

He attributed the fire incident to indiscriminate refuse burning saying: “The fire was suppressed at 5am. Cooling down operation is ongoing to suppress reignition,” he said.