The Oyo State Fire Services Agency has contained a fire outbreak at Onipasan, Araromi Market, Gate, Ibadan, after the blaze, suspected to have been triggered by unattended burning of electrical cables, threatened nearby shops and properties.

The agency said its firefighting crew responded to a distress call received at about 11:05 p.m. on Saturday and promptly mobilised to the scene.

According to a statement issued by the agency, the firefighters, led by a Chief Fire Superintendent, on arrival, met disused tyres and spare parts engulfed in flames, with the fire threatening surrounding shops and nearby properties.

The crew immediately commenced firefighting operations and called for reinforcement from the Fire Service Headquarters, which deployed an additional fire truck to the scene.

The agency said the two crews mounted a coordinated firefighting operation and successfully extinguished and contained the blaze before it could spread to other shops and properties within the market.

No casualty was recorded in the incident. Preliminary investigation by the agency indicated that the fire was suspected to have originated from the indiscriminate burning of electrical cables to recover copper wires, which was allegedly left unattended.

The firefighting appliances returned safely to the station at about 1:21 a.m. on Sunday and were placed on operational standby.

The Special Adviser on Fire Reform and Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Dr Moroof Adebayo Akinwande, urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report fire incidents promptly to the agency.

Akinwande also stressed the importance of providing and maintaining functional fire extinguishers in shops, markets and homes, noting that early intervention with appropriate firefighting equipment could suppress fires at their initial stages and prevent them from escalating into major disasters.

He urged residents to provide firefighters with clear and accurate addresses when reporting emergencies to facilitate swift response and minimise loss of lives and property.