Panic gripped residents of Mobolorunduro, Balaro Street in the Oju-Odo Academy area of Ona-Ara Local Government, Oyo State, when a midnight fire gutted a row of roadside shops, destroying eight out of eleven structures before it was brought under control.

The inferno, which broke out while most residents were asleep, was contained by operatives of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency after a distress call alerted them to the blaze. Officials said the quick response of firefighters prevented the flames from spreading to adjoining buildings and nearby residential properties.

The Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reform and Chairman of the state Fire Services Agency, Moroof Akinwande, confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Ibadan. He explained that a fire crew led by PFS11 Ojo was immediately deployed to the scene after the agency received a telephone call reporting that shops at No 2, Mobolorunduro, Balaro Street were on fire.

On arrival, firefighters met a row of lock-up shops already engulfed in flames. By the time the blaze was fully subdued, eight shops had been severely damaged, with traders counting heavy losses in goods and equipment. Three shops at the far end of the row were saved, along with several nearby structures, due to the containment efforts.

No lives were lost and no injuries were reported, according to the agency. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, with officials examining possible electrical faults, improper storage of flammable materials, or negligence as potential triggers.

A resident, Bukola Ogundeji, who was in the area at the time, said the fire spread rapidly before emergency responders arrived. She noted that people initially tried to fight the flames with buckets of water and sand but were overwhelmed by the intensity of the blaze.

The incident adds to a worrying pattern of market and roadside shop fires in Ibadan and its environs. Previous outbreaks have destroyed dozens of shops in different parts of the city, leaving traders devastated and raising questions about safety standards in commercial clusters.

Akinwande used the latest incident to renew calls for stricter adherence to fire safety measures. He urged shop owners and landlords to install functional fire extinguishers, avoid illegal electrical connections, and ensure regular maintenance of wiring to tackle fires at their earliest stage and reduce the risk of large-scale destruction.