Fire ravages properties worth millions in popular market in Kwara
A devastating fire broke out in the early hours of Tuesday, at Owode Market in Offa, Kwara State, engulfing numerous shops and causing widespread destruction.
Heart-wrenching footage of the incident captured the emotional moments as shop owners witnessed their livelihoods being consumed by the flames.
“It’s too intense. This couldn’t be an electrical issue. Perhaps it started from cooking, as the flames are too fierce,” commented one of the affected traders in the video footage.
Fortunately, swift action by the Federal Fire Service and Kwara State Fire Service managed to extinguish the fire, though not before it had ravaged at least five shops, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.
“The authorities are still assessing the situation, but personally, I know at least five shops were affected. The worth of goods and properties destroyed can’t be said now until the assessment finishes.
“There are also several claims as to the cause of the fire until we wait for the fire service to release their statement on it,” the source said.
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Meanwhile, barely eight months ago, there was a report about a midnight fire razed a residential building in the town and destroyed property worth N6.5m.
The incident that occurred at about 1:05am at Kowope compound, Olorunkuse area, Offa, affected a two- bedroom flat and four shops.
In December, no fewer than 14 shops were reportedly razed by fire in two incidents that occurred in the Tanke area of Ilorin in Ilorin South Local Government Area of Kwara State between Tuesday evening and the early hours of Wednesday. (https://punchng.com/fire-razes-14-shops-in-kwara/)
At least, seven shops at Zion Overcomer, Opposite Duro Suleiman house, University Road, Tanke, were reportedly burnt while the second incident also occurred at Tanke Oke-Odo area on University Road at about 1.30 a.m. on Wednesday, where another seven shops were destroyed by fire.
While confirming the incidents, the Kwara State Fire Service said that its men attended to the two fire incidents at different locations in the Tanke area and saved 16 out of the 31 shops engulfed by the raging fire.
The spokesman of Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, who confirmed the incident at that time, had said the quick intervention of the firefighters saved property estimated to be worth N13.3m.
