Inferno at Midnight: Fire Ravages 12 Shops in Ibadan Market, Millions Lost

 

Late Thursday night in Ibadan, chaos erupted as flames tore through parts of the Mayegun Cement Store Market at Araromi, Agodi-Gate, leaving a trail of destruction behind. Eyewitnesses say the fire started just before 11 p.m.—around 10:55 p.m. to be exact—and it didn’t let up for over three hours.

By the time the smoke cleared, at least 12 shops had been completely destroyed. Locals who watched helplessly as the fire raged on told our team that the damage ran into millions of naira.

So, what sparked the blaze? According to early findings, the culprit was an electricity surge that ignited materials nearby—materials that, unfortunately, were all too ready to burn.

The Oyo State Fire Service sprang into action after getting the emergency call at 11:02 p.m. “The call came through our control room from a Mr. Young,” explained Yemi Akinyinka, the agency’s General Manager. “He reported the fire at Block A, Shop 64.”

A fire crew led by Chief Fire Superintendent Jimoh rushed to the scene and got to work. “When we arrived, several lockup shops were already ablaze,” Akinyinka said. “But we moved fast to stop the fire from spreading further. Thankfully, we were able to protect a large portion of the market—saving property worth billions.”

The team finally wrapped up around 3:18 a.m. and returned to the station, ready for the next emergency.