No fewer than 22 shops were destroyed when fire broke out at Kara Market in Ajase-Ipo, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, in the early hours of Wednesday.
The incident occurred around 1:35 a.m. when one of the occupants of the affected plank shops allegedly failed to properly extinguish a cooking fire, which later reignited and spread to nearby shops.
Although the value of goods lost could not be immediately ascertained, traders were said to have suffered heavy losses running into millions of naira.
Head of Media and Publicity of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, who confirmed the incident, said operatives were able to contain the fire before it reached the section where animals were tied.
He explained that out of 323 shops in the market, which include plank shops, kiosks and container shops, the fire destroyed 22 plank shops and six container shops.
“The affected shops were mainly those where foodstuffs such as rice, yam flour, corn, millet and guinea corn were sold, while the containers housed provisions and daily needs items. It was a very disturbing situation, especially at that time of the night,” Adekunle said.
He added that firefighters battled through the night to prevent wider destruction and ensure the safety of other traders.
Adekunle quoted the Director of the Fire Service as commending the swift response of his men, stressing that their intervention saved hundreds of shops and properties from being consumed.
He urged traders and residents to embrace fire safety practices and avoid negligence, especially in markets where combustible materials are in large supply
