Traders count losses as fire destroys 14 shops in Ondo market

By Boye Oyeyemi

Traders in Ore, headquarters of Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, are counting their losses after a fire destroyed 14 shops and goods worth millions of naira.

The inferno, which broke out around 10:00pm on Wednesday, reportedly swept through the market, destroying various businesses and throwing traders into distress.

Among the affected traders were those dealing in rice, foodstuffs, stationery, provisions, clothing and bags. Some victims were reportedly taken to hospital after becoming overwhelmed by the extent of the destruction.

One of the victims, Mrs. Akinlusi Grace, who sells rice and other food items, lost a substantial quantity of her stock, while another trader, Onyekachi Ezeaka, also lost stationery and provisions to the blaze.

Eyewitnesses said the fire might have started after a spark from a solar battery in one of the shops ignited combustible materials before spreading to adjoining businesses.

Reacting, the Iyaloja of Ore Kingdom, Chief E.A. Ogunlana, described the incident as a severe setback for the traders and appealed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to assist the victims whose livelihoods had been affected.

Similarly, the Chairman of Odigbo Local Government, Taiwo Adegoroye, also sympathised with the victims and urged traders to handle electrical appliances, solar batteries and other fire-prone equipment with caution to prevent another disaster.

Meanwhile, the governor’s Special Assistant on Emergency Response, Prince Oriade Wellington Adebawo, visited the scene, inspected the damage and sympathised with the affected traders, promising to relay their losses to the state government.