Tragic fire destroys 17 shops in Osun market

The largest market in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Oja Tuntun, suffered a devastating fire outbreak on Saturday morning, resulting in the loss of goods worth millions of Naira.

The inferno affected at least 17 shops, and the cause of the tragic incident is yet to be ascertained. The spokesperson of Osun State Fire Service,  Adekunle Ibrahim, confirmed the incident in a statement to journalists.

According to him, the firemen received a distress call from a resident living near the market about 12:30 am on Saturday.

“When firemen arrived at the scene, the raging fire had affected a building that has 16 shops and a container within the market.

“A team from the fire unit of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, also joined the Osun firemen and prevented the fire from escalating,” Ibrahim said.

Also confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the Osun NSCDC, Kehinde Adeleke, said operatives of the command were on guard at the scene to prevent looting as firemen battled to halt the spread of the fire to other parts of the market.

The leader of the market women in Oja-Tuntun Market, Falilat Lawal, expressed her distress over the recurring fire incidents. She reminisced about the time when the market association had urged the state government to revamp the market and transform it into a prominent commercial hub.

Lawal pointed out that the shops in the market were inadequately arranged, resulting in overcrowding and vulnerability to incidental harm.

“The state and federal government should come to our aid in reconstructing this market; we need solar light in the market.

“This is the major market in ancient Ile-Ife city, and there has not been any improvement since its creation till date, compared to Gbagi Market in Ibadan.

“Majority of those whose shops were razed had been conducting their businesses using bank loans; they are now at sea as to how to begin again,” Lawal reiterated.