Date: 2020-03-18

Some shops in Owode, a popular market in Offa, Kwara State, were razed down by fire in the early hours of Tuesday.

PREMIUM TIMES learned that over 20 shops and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed by the inferno.

According to a witness, Bola Olanpekun, the incident started around 1 a.m. but was fire service operatives responded quickly.

This newspaper recalls that a similar incident occurred on May 18, 2015. The fire incident led to the renovation of a significant part of the market.

While addressing reporters, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, head, media and publicity unit of the Kwara State Fire Service, said the intelligence unit of the service was working to ascertain the cause of the incident, adding that electric spark may not be ruled out.

"The cause of the inferno was suspected to be an electric spark, even though the intelligence team of the service are working on that to ascertain the actual cause of the fire outbreak," he stated.

Meanwhile, a community group, Offa Descendants Union, have expressed shock over the incident.

In a statement by the National Public Relations Officer, Maruf Adenifuja, the union said the extent of the inferno was yet to be ascertained.

"The union has made emissaries to the state government in the past for new fire service trucks and the upgrade of the fire service station in Offa for efficient fire service delivery in order to safeguard lives and properties of the people,but we are still awaiting the positive response of the state government," the statement read.