A raging fire destroyed six rooms and the upper floor of a residential twin-flat building in separate incidents at two locations in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Thursday night and Friday morning.
Eyewitnesses told The TheNigerian that the first fire broke out around 9:10 pm on Thursday behind St. Stephen Church, Inalende, in Ibadan North West Local Government Area.
The second incident occurred at about 11:25 am on Friday at No. 27, Babalola House, Igbalajobi Street, Shop Mega, Agbowo, in Ibadan North Local Government Area.
According to sources, six out of 12 rooms on the upper floor of the building were severely damaged by the blaze. Although no lives were lost, properties worth several millions of naira were destroyed in both incidents.
Residents expressed shock and lamented the devastating losses caused by the fires. Investigations into the causes are ongoing, as authorities assess the extent of the damage.
One resident, who preferred anonymity, said, “The incident happened around 9:10 pm, and I think it was caused by a power surge. Six rooms were seriously affected. We thank God that the state firefighters arrived in time; otherwise, it would have been worse.”
At Agbowo, reports indicate that the fire had already engulfed the building before the arrival of firefighters.
A fire service official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated, “The incident was reported to our agency at 11:43 am on Friday, December 27, 2024, through GSM and Mr Kenneth, regarding a house fire at No. 27, Babalola House, Igbalajobi Street, Shop Mega, Agbowo.
“On arrival, it was discovered that the upper floor of a storey residential twin-flat building was already engulfed by fire.
“We swiftly took action to contain the fire and prevented it from spreading to the first floor and nearby properties. The fire was completely extinguished, and a brief lecture was delivered by the Officer-in-Charge on fire prevention, particularly during this dry harmattan season.
“No lives were lost. Properties worth millions of naira were destroyed, but billions of naira worth of property were saved by our officers.”
Confirming the incidents, the General Manager of the Fire Service, Yemi Akinyinka, said the agency responded to distress calls on both Thursday night and Friday morning.
He praised the swift actions of his team, which prevented further destruction.
Akinyinka said, “The agency received distress calls and took immediate action. Six out of 12 rooms on the upper floor of the building were affected by the fire. No lives were lost. Properties worth millions of naira were destroyed, but properties worth billions of naira were also saved.”
