* Destroys goods worth millions of Naira

By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Property worth millions of Naira have been destroyed in the inferno that gutted the popular Owode market in Offa, Offa local government area of Kwara state, in the early hours of Tuesday.

A statement by the spokesperson of the Kwara state Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, said 50 shops out of the total 3,820 shops and 1,180 stands in the market were badly hit, while others suffered minimal damages.

The statement added: “Upon
receiving a distress call at approximately 02:30 hours, a team led by ACF Oyeyipo James immediately sprang into action. Arriving at the scene, they were confronted with a harrowing sight as numerous shops were ablaze, with federal firefighting counterpart already engaged in combatting the inferno.

“The Kwara State Fire Service personnel joined forces with their federal counterpart, deploying two fire appliances from different stations to effectively tackle the raging blaze. The collaborative efforts of the firefighting teams proved instrumental in bringing the situation under control after a concerted five-hour battle, thereby ensuring the safety of lives and property within the vicinity.”

According to the spokesperson of the State Fire Service, the fire incident was caused by a burning cigarette end that was carelessly dropped by someone thereby igniting some combustible materials in the market, “underscoring the critical importance of fire safety awareness and preventive measures”.

While reacting to the gory incident, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade John, urged the people of the state to be vigilant and safety conscious at all times.