A devastating fire engulfed the Caring Heart Market in Okitipupa, Ondo State, on Thursday night, destroying goods valued at millions of naira.
The blaze, which reportedly started around 1:00 am, affected 18 shops in the market. While no lives were lost, traders suffered significant losses as items such as frozen foods, cash, deep freezers, generators, fans, solar installations, and other valuable goods were consumed by the inferno.
Preliminary investigations suggest that an electrical fault in one of the shops might have sparked the fire, although the exact cause is yet to be confirmed.
Chief Florence Irinyemi, the Iyalaje (market women leader) of Idepe, Okitipupa, revealed that a security guard at the market raised the alarm, prompting swift action from the community. The town’s traditional ruler, Oba Michael Obatuga, contacted officials of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), who promptly cut off power supply to prevent further damage.
“The quick intervention of BEDC helped to stop the fire from spreading to other parts of the market,” Irinyemi told reporters.
She further called on the state government to restore the Okitipupa Fire Service, emphasizing the need for prompt emergency responses to prevent future occurrences.
The affected traders have also appealed for support to recover from the losses, as the incident has left many of them devastated ahead of the festive season.
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