Goods, household items and other valuables worth millions of naira have been destroyed after a fire broke out at the Nigerian Railway shopping complex in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The fire, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, affected three shops within the complex located along Aleshinloye Market Road.

According to reports, the inferno started at about 5 a.m. and caused significant damage before firefighters were alerted.

One of the affected traders, Busari Olayemi, said residents around Quarters 4 alerted shop owners to the fire at about 6 a.m.

Olayemi, who operates an interior decoration business with his partner, Adebola Sunday Adeniyi, said goods and equipment estimated at about N21 million were destroyed in the incident.

He said the affected items included window blinds, curtain fabrics, industrial sewing machines, tools and other equipment, as well as fabrics belonging to customers.

“What happened here destroyed a lot of things. Our customers’ fabrics were burnt; you can see them over there. Our industrial sewing machines and tools were burnt right there,” Olayemi said.

Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, said firefighters had successfully brought the fire under control.

Akinwande clarified that the incident occurred within the Nigerian Railway complex and not at Aleshinloye Market, as earlier reported.

“We have quenched the fire. It occurred around 5 a.m.,” he said.

The cause of the fire was not immediately disclosed, while the total value of property destroyed in the incident is yet to be fully determined.