From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Tragedy struck in Akure, Ondo State capital on Christmas Day as about 20 shops were gutted by fire.
Sources said the incident, caused by electric surge, happened when many were celebrating christmas and led to loss of valuables worth millions of naira.
It was gathered that the fire incident started from a shop located at Obanla Junction along Oba Adesida Road and spread to other places in the area.
Officials of the state Fire Service and those of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attributed the inferno to carelessness on the part of the shop owners.
It was gathered that the inferno affected bookshops and some shops where plastic containers are being sold.
Chief Fire Officer of the Ondo State Fire Service, Mr. Philip Adanlowo, said his men arrived the scene of the incident immediately they got a distress call.
Also speaking, Femi Igbekele, of the fire emergency department of the NSCDC said his men came to the scene after they discovered smoke coming out from one of the buildings.
While the fire was being put off, men of the fire service brought out a keg of petrol kept in one of the shops.