JUST IN: FIRE RAZES SHOPS AT OPOLO FURNITURE MARKET IN YENAGOA

A major fire outbreak has destroyed several shops and properties worth millions of naira in the Opolo area of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday near the Rainoil Limited filling station, sending panic through the community .

The inferno, which specifically gutted the Opolo Furniture Market, swept through multiple shops and makeshift structures before officials of the Bayelsa State Fire Service arrived at the scene to bring the situation under control . Eyewitnesses reported that the blaze began at dawn and spread rapidly across sections of the market, triggering desperate attempts by traders to salvage their goods .

According to reports, the petrol filling station located adjacent to the affected area was untouched by the flames, a development residents described as a narrow escape from what could have been a far more catastrophic incident . Some families residing near the affected shops were reportedly displaced by the fire .

As of the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire had yet to be determined, and no casualties have been confirmed . However, losses running into millions of naira are feared as traders watched their sources of livelihood consumed by the flames .

Residents have called on the state government to take urgent preventive measures and strengthen fire safety protocols around major markets, particularly those situated near fuel stations, to prevent a recurrence of such incidents .