TheCable

A fire outbreak has razed Araromi automobile parts market in Agodi Gate, Ibadan, Oyo state.

Araromi is the biggest automobile parts market in the state.

The fire incident, which started around 11pm on Friday, destroyed goods and properties worth millions of naira.

Witnesses told TheCable that the inferno was caused by an electrical surge.

Some traders said the firefighters could not respond to the incident on time due to the abandoned vehicles and motor parts blocking the most affected parts of the market.

“This fire started around 11pm yesterday night, and it has destroyed lots of things. Although the firefighters tried to quench the fire before it became worse, but because all the roads have been blocked, there was no way for them to enter,” Mutiu, a tyre dealer, told TheCable.

Ibrahim Adesina, a resident who witnessed the incident, said: “I saw it when the fire started as a resident of this neighbourhood who also has a shop here. Truly, the firefighters could not enter the main market but I expected them to have longer hoses which will give them easy access to this place.”

Ibrahim Akintayo, caretaker chairman, Ibadan north-east LGA, also confirmed that the firefighters could not enter the market.

“The firefighters who wanted to come in are still finding it difficult to enter even till now because all the roads have been blocked with abandoned vehicles and other things. All roads need to cleared first before any actions can be taken,” Akintayo said.

Kazeem Adu, a trader at the market, was in agony when TheCable approached him.

He said: “Ever since I grew up, I have never seen something like this before. I can say that everything that got destroyed here is more than a billion naira.”

Another trader, Quadri Adedokun, said it will be difficult for him to recover his losses to the fire.

He said: “All my goods and properties in the shop have burned to nothing as you can see them. Unfortunately, I am in serious debt right now, it is only God that can have mercy.”