There was pandemonium at the popular Railway Shopping Complex in Dugbe in Ibadan on Saturday as people made frantic effort to put out a fire the engulfed some parts of the complex. The fire which occurred at the late hours of Saturday left many residents and shop owners in shock and tears.
IbadanCityAnnouncer correspondent who was at the scene recounted that frenetic efforts were made by passersby and concerned individuals to put out the flames. Sweetco Fire Service and Oyo State Fire Service was also on hand to assist in putting out the inferno. However, it was too little too late as shops and warehouses were razed in the inferno thereby destroying properties worth millions of Naira.
One of the owner the shops that got razed struggled to fight off tears as she spoke with our correspondent. According to her, it was late in the evening as most shop owners were already locking up and many had in fact gone home when the incident started. They noticed that flames were coming out from one of the locked shops, but they found it hard to break in as it was under lock and key. Despite their frantic efforts, the fire spread to other shops around before becoming a raging inferno.
For one of the affected shops, it was double tragedy as, it was said to belong to a man who was still recuperating from an ailment that has kept him away from the shop for an extended period of time.
Members of the public have thus been advised to take proper precautions especially with the use of electricity during this period in other to avert any loss of property. The importance of fire extinguishers has also been emphasized as a handy first aid in case of fire emergency.
Reports by Victor Alagogooko and Pictures from Olawale Awe For IbadanCityAnnouncer
