‘My goods have turned to ashes’ — traders lament after Oyo market fire

Traders affected by the fire outbreak at Araromi auto parts market, Agodi Gate Ibadan, have lamented their losses.

The fire outbreak, which started around 11pm on Friday, was caused by an electrical surge.

During a visit to the market, TheCable found that the tyre and auto parts sections were the most affected.

Some of the traders said the fire destroyed goods worth millions of naira.

Iyabo Bamigbade, an iron seller, said: “This fire outbreak is a great disaster, in fact, it may lead to loss of many lives because some of us are just recovering from the last year’s economic meltdown caused by COVID-19, only for us to be seeing this.

“This is where most of us are taking care of our children so that they can become relevant in society.”

Bamigbade appealed to the Oyo state government to assist the affected traders.

“We can only beg the government to assist us all at this moment because we don’t even know where to run to”, she added.

Jimoh Alare, a septuagenarian who is one of the elders in the market, was devastated when approached by TheCable.

He said: “My goods have turned to ashes, I cannot even say what will happen to me after this occurrence.”

Adeyemo, a food seller in the market, said she has no means of feeding her children, seeing as her main source of income is gone.

She said: “I have been in this market for almost thirty years. If my children and I don’t come here, there is no way for us to feed.”

Saheed Gbajumo, a tyre dealer at the market, said he cannot give an estimate of what he lost in the fire.

He said: “What I have lost cannot even be described, as a matter of fact, the tyre with the lowest price in my shop is worth ₦15,000, so how do I calculate the losses this has brought upon me. It is only God that can have mercy on every one of us.”

All efforts to speak to the leader of the market were futile as he refused to talk about the incident.