The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, October 19, 2026, and was reported to the Oyo State Fire Services Agency at exactly 4:34 a.m., according to the agency’s chairman, Dr. Moroof Akinwande.
Akinwande, who is also the Special Adviser on Fire Services Reform, said the agency received a telephone call from one SFS Lawal alerting it to the outbreak.
He said a firefighting team led by Assistant Chief Fire Superintendent Bamidele was immediately mobilised to the scene.
Firefighters Prevent Spread to Other Shops
According to Akinwande, firefighters arrived to find 15 shops in a row of 44 engulfed in flames, with thick smoke billowing from the affected premises.
The team immediately began firefighting operations and brought the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading to neighbouring shops.
Akinwande said the fire was contained without serious damage to the affected shops, adding that no casualties were recorded.
Faulty Wiring Suspected
The fire services chief identified an electrical surge, suspected to have resulted from faulty wiring, as the likely cause of the incident.
He urged residents and business owners to remain vigilant and adopt necessary fire-prevention measures to reduce the risk of similar outbreaks.
Akinwande also stressed the importance of installing and maintaining functional fire extinguishers in commercial buildings, shops and homes to enable occupants to respond promptly when fires break out.
