Metro
Black Xmas as traders lose millions to fire
Traders in the plank section of the popular Sango Market in Ibadan, Oyo State lost millions of naira worth of goods on Christmas day to an inferno that razed over 200 shops in the market.
The fire started around 3pm and raged for more than five hours as fire fighters from the Oyo State Fire Service struggled to put it out with several refills as their truck ran out of water.
According to information gathered, planks estimated at over N250m was lost in the disaster.
Though, nobody could give an account of what caused the fire, one Segun, a trader in the market said the fire started after he left his shop where he had attended to a customer.
He said, “Shortly after I attended to a customer who called me on phone, I had the call that the shops had caught fire”.
Read also: Xmas tragedy: Many burnt to death in gas explosion
Another trader, Ade said he lost planks and equipment worth more than N5m in their shops.
Mr. Afolabi said several sawing machines and other logging equipment were lost to the fire.
He rated the fire service men low saying, “Each time the vehicle left to refill water, we lost more shops because the fire would gain more ground. Don’t forget this is the time of the year when fire incidents are rampant because we are in the dry season. More fire service vehicles are needed to forestall possible overnight fire here. As you can see, we now pay to bring water tanker to help the fire service men.”
He called on the state government to come to the aid of the traders.
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