No fewer than 15 shops were burnt into ashes on Saturday night, as fire engulfed the Lipede International Market, in Kuto area of Abeokuta.
It was learned that the fire started after 10 pm from one of the makeshift shops and later spread to some of the shops in the main market building.
Power outage was attributed to be the cause of the fire which was traced to a palm kernel shop in one of the makeshift shops.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that goods worth several millions of naira which included rice, plantains, and daily needs were destroyed in the inferno.
Information had it that a couple identified as Basiru and Tolani Moses, lost a sum of N500,000 cash, and other goods worth N1.5m were burnt.
The victims said their intention was to deposit the cash sum on Monday morning in the bank.
The scene was visited by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Mrs Funmi Efuwape; the Director of the State Emergency Management Agency (OGSEMA), Wale Sonde; the Director of State Fire Service, Fatai Adefala, the Chairman of Abeokuta South Local Government, Omolaja Majekodunmi, for an on the spot assessment, on Sunday morning.
“The fire outbreak was just because of these shanties erected outside the main market building. Now that they (traders) have seen it for themselves, I am sure when the government comes in and tells them that all these shanties must go, definitely, they will agree with us that they have to go.
“About ten shops were affected outside and five inside. The five would not have been affected if the ones outside were not there. The fire started from the illegal structures outside and erupted to the main building,” he said.
She said that the building of the main market would undergo an integrity test to ascertain its safety, while the government will roll out measures to renovate the market.
The Director of SEMA hinted that the NEMA officials will on Monday visit the market to assess damages and decide on how to assist the victims.
Sonde noted that “physical, economic and psychological damages” have been recorded in the incident.
