A fire outbreak has destroyed eight shops along a commercial row of eleven outlets at No. 2 Mobolorunduro, Balaro Street, in the Oju-Odo Academy area of Ona-Ara Local Government Area, Oyo State.
The incident, which happened in the early hours of Wednesday, was confirmed by the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, whose personnel said they were able to stop the blaze from extending to neighbouring structures.
In a statement issued by the agency’s chairman, Moroof Akinwande, it was disclosed that the emergency alert was received at about 2:33 a.m., after which firefighters were immediately deployed to the scene.
“The fire personnel, led by PFS11 Ojo, quickly mobilised to the scene after receiving a distress call,” Akinwande said. “On arrival, it was discovered that eight shops out of 11 were already engulfed in flames. The team successfully contained the fire and stopped it from spreading further to adjoining properties.”
He further noted that no fatalities were recorded in the incident, while investigations are ongoing to determine the origin of the fire.
“The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, but we are conducting a thorough investigation,” he said. “No casualty was recorded, and our equipment returned to base safely by 4:29 a.m.”
Akinwande also called on shop owners and traders to adopt stronger fire safety practices, including installing fire extinguishers in commercial spaces to reduce future risks.
An eyewitness, Bukola Ogundeji, described the suddenness of the outbreak, saying it escalated before residents could effectively respond.
“I was nearby but not a shop owner,” she said.
“The fire began around 12:30 a.m., and before people could respond properly, several shops had already been affected. We are still trying to understand what caused it.”
The incident adds to a growing list of fire outbreaks recorded in parts of Ibadan in recent months, with several markets previously affected by similar destructive incidents.
