A fire broke out early Sunday morning in Dugbe, Ibadan, destroying three shops but sparing 13 others, thanks to the swift action of the Oyo State Fire Service.
The incident occurred behind a branch of First City Monument Bank and reportedly began around midnight. Investigations suggest the fire was caused by burning refuse left unattended by the occupants of the premises.
Although no lives were lost, goods and property worth millions of naira were destroyed in the blaze.
Speaking about the fire, a witness at the scene said, “Actually, the cause of the fire incident is still unknown to me, but I heard people saying it was as a result of burning of refuse by the people living in that premises.”
Confirming the incident, the General Manager of the Oyo State Fire Service, Yemi Akinyinka, said they received a distress call at 12:25 a.m. and responded promptly.
“Our agency received the information at exactly 00:25 hrs on Sunday,” Akinyinka explained. “Personnel were quickly deployed to the scene, and they got there in time because there was no traffic or hold-up.
“On arrival, we found three shops already engulfed in flames. We swiftly swung into action to prevent the fire from spreading to other nearby properties. The fire was completely extinguished, and we educated people on-site about fire prevention during the harmattan and controlling fires at their incipient stages.”
Akinyinka added, “Three shops were destroyed, but 13 shops and other properties were saved by the swift intervention of our officers.”
He also warned against indiscriminate burning of refuse and bushes, which can lead to avoidable fire outbreaks. “Undergrowth should be totally avoided in our community,” he said.
This fire is the latest in a series of similar incidents in Ibadan this month. Earlier in December, Moniya Market suffered a devastating fire that razed 17 shops, destroying goods worth millions of naira.
Similarly, a parish of the Christ Apostolic Church at Wisdom Estate on Olohunda-Aba Road also fell victim to a fire outbreak.
Residents have been urged to exercise caution, especially during the harmattan season, to prevent further losses.
