Millions of naira worth of goods have been destroyed in a fire that ravaged the Caring Heart Market in Okitipupa, located in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The cause of the fire, which broke out on Thursday night, remains unclear, but reports indicate that around 18 shops in the market were affected. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
Initial investigations suggest the fire may have been triggered by an electrical fault in one of the shops. A block of 18 locked-up shops, filled with frozen foods such as fish, turkey, and chicken, were completely destroyed.
In addition to the perishable goods, other items including cash, deep freezers, generating sets, power regulators, fans, solar power installations, and other equipment belonging to the traders were also consumed by the flames.
Chief Florence Irinyemi, the Iyalaje (market women leader) of Idepe, Okitipupa, revealed that the security guard at the market raised the alarm around 1:00 am on Thursday.
She noted that the traditional ruler of the town, His Royal Majesty Michael Obatuga, promptly alerted the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), who cut off the power supply to the market. Without this action, the fire could have spread throughout the entire market.
Irinyemi has called on the state government to restore the Okitipupa Fire Service to ensure a swift response to such incidents in the future.
Unfortunately, many of the affected traders had recently restocked their shops in preparation for the upcoming yuletide season.
The victims are now urging the government, well-meaning organizations, and individuals to assist them, as they struggle to cope with the heavy losses.