Fire Guts Hundreds of Shops at Ibadan’s Oranya Market

 An early-morning fire has destroyed a large number of shops at the popular Oranya Market in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of Oyo State, leaving traders counting their losses.

The fire reportedly started around midnight on Monday and spread through the market, affecting businesses belonging to traders dealing in gold, furniture, second-hand clothing and other goods. Eyewitnesses said the blaze caused extensive damage across several sections of the market.

Some traders estimated that close to 300 shops may have been destroyed, although officials said it was too early to establish the exact number of affected shops and the value of goods lost.

The Special Adviser to the Oyo State Governor on Fire Reforms and Chairman of the State Fire Services, Morof Akinwande, confirmed that the incident occurred. He said the fire started in the middle of the market following an explosion, although it had not yet been established whether the explosion was caused by gas or another source.

According to him, the situation had been brought under control by about 1am, preventing the fire from spreading further. Officials were expected to conduct a post-fire assessment to determine the precise extent of the damage.

The incident has left affected traders facing significant financial losses, with some reportedly losing their shops, merchandise and other business assets in the blaze.

The latest fire comes amid concerns over repeated market fires in Ibadan. A similar incident in 2024 destroyed more than 200 shops in the herbal section of the market, while another fire on August 22 destroyed nine shops at a railway shopping complex along Aleshinloye Market.

The recurring incidents have renewed calls for stronger fire-prevention measures in markets across Oyo State, including improved electrical safety, accessible emergency routes and adequate firefighting equipment.

Authorities are expected to continue assessing the latest incident and determine the exact cause of the fire and the total value of property destroyed.