Hundreds of shops have reportedly been destroyed after a fire broke out at the popular Oranyan Market in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of Oyo State in the early hours of Monday.

The inferno, which reportedly started around midnight, affected several sections of the market, destroying shops belonging to traders dealing in gold, furniture, second-hand clothing and other goods.

Although the exact number of shops affected has yet to be established, unconfirmed reports put the figure at more than 200.

An eyewitness said the fire started around midnight but could not give the precise time the incident began.

“The fire started around midnight. I cannot be specific about that time. Those affected were gold sellers, furniture sellers, second-hand clothes sellers and many others,” the eyewitness said.

The extent of the destruction has been described as devastating, with several traders feared to have lost their shops, merchandise and means of livelihood.

The Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reforms and Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services, Morof Akinwande, confirmed the incident when contacted by telephone.

Akinwande, however, cautioned against giving an exact figure for the number of shops destroyed, stressing that the extent of the damage could only be determined after a proper post-fire assessment.

He disclosed that the fire reportedly started in the middle of the market following an explosion, although the exact cause of the explosion had not been established.

According to him, it was still unclear whether the explosion was caused by gas or another source.

“Yes, it occurred. That number we cannot ascertain, but what is known is that some shops were destroyed and the fire incident started in the middle of the market with an explosion,” Akinwande said.

He added that the situation had been brought under control by 1am, preventing the fire from spreading to other parts of the market.

“Whether it’s a gas explosion or other things. And when you have a gas explosion, it would spread, but as I am talking to you, the situation has been under control since 1am,” he said.

Akinwande said it was too early to determine the number of shops destroyed or the value of goods lost, noting that such details would form part of the post-fire investigation.

“On the number of shops and inventory, that is too early because that’s post-fire outbreak investigation. So, I cannot be accurate about the number of shops that were destroyed. But shops were actually gone,” he added.

The incident has once again raised concerns over the recurring cases of fire outbreaks in major markets across Oyo State, which continue to expose traders to significant financial losses and threaten their livelihoods.

Oranyan Market had previously suffered a major fire outbreak in 2024, when the herbal section of the market was reportedly gutted, with more than 200 shops said to have been completely destroyed.

Monday’s incident also occurred barely two days after fire destroyed nine locked-up shops at the Nigerian Railway Shopping Complex along the popular Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The Oyo State Fire Services has commenced an investigation into the cause of the latest inferno and the extent of the damage.