The Bodija branch of Grandex Supermarket, a chain store owned and by wife of Ex- Oyo Governor Abiola Ajimobi has been partly razed by fire.
The fire incident, which started around 3pm on Sunday from the back office of the outlet, was gradually spreading to the main stores until fire fighters saved the day.
Men of the Oyo State Fire Service who arrived the scene promptly curtailed it from razing the entire outlet or spread to nearby facilities.
According to The Nation, men of the State Joint Security Task Force Team, Operation Burst were also on ground to prevent looting of the store while the fire-fighters battled the inferno.
Mrs. Ajimobi arrived the scene with some friends and family members to monitor the situation.
Some goods were quickly evacuated when the fire raged on, leading to girdlock around the Awolowo-Bodoja axis.
Men of the Federal Fire Service lent handing hands to operatives of the Oyo State Fire Service to save the day.
An eyewitness, Mr. Bamidele Osinlowo, said the alarm of workers inside the store alerted many.
According to him: “It started about 3pm. When we heard the shouts from the workers, I immediately called the Oyo State Fire Service.
“Within ten minutes, they came with a bigger truck. We moved in to join them to bring extinguishers. Somebody from Zenith Bank brought one. Another person brought extinguishers from Afe Babalola Educational Centre, Bodija.”
He added as soon as Mrs. Ajimobi arrived, some of the aides joined in evacuating goods from the stores while some stern-looking officers of Operation Burst were on ground to prevent looting.
The team leader of the Federal Fire Service, who spoke with journalists under anonymity, attributed the incident to electrical sparks and over-loading of electrical sockets.
