A fire outbreak has destroyed 15 shops at Bodija International Market, Block D, popularly known as Iso Ewa, in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, October 19, 2026, with no casualties recorded.
The Special Adviser on Fire Services Reform and Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Dr Moroof Akinwande, confirmed the incident, saying the agency received a distress call at 4:34 a.m.
According to Akinwande, the caller, identified as SFS Lawal, alerted the agency to the fire outbreak, prompting the immediate deployment of a firefighting team led by Assistant Chief Fire Superintendent Bamidele.
He said the firefighters discovered on arrival that the flames had engulfed 15 shops in a row of 44, while thick smoke billowed from the affected premises.
The team immediately launched firefighting operations and successfully contained the blaze, preventing it from spreading to neighbouring shops.
Akinwande said the firefighters’ swift response helped limit the damage, adding that the fire was brought under control without serious damage to the affected shops.
He attributed the incident to a suspected electrical surge caused by faulty wiring.
The fire services chief urged traders and residents to observe necessary fire safety measures to prevent similar incidents.
He also stressed the importance of installing and regularly maintaining functional fire extinguishers in markets, commercial buildings and homes, noting that the equipment could help occupants tackle fires before they spread.
