A fire outbreak on Saturday razed a furniture workshop and a church in the Sogoye area of Bode, Ibadan, destroying properties worth millions of naira.
Confirming the incident on Sunday, the Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency and Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Services Reform, Mr. Moroof Akinwande, stated that the fire was caused by the burning of sawdust by an unidentified individual. The flames, he said, quickly spread to nearby structures.
“We received the emergency call at exactly 3:49 pm on Saturday, May 10, through the toll-free security trust fund line, 615,” Akinwande said. “Our team, led by Assistant Chief Fire Superintendent Olubunmi, responded swiftly. Upon arrival, they discovered that both a prefabricated furniture workshop and a church were engulfed in flames.”
Although the fire wreaked havoc on the buildings and their contents, Akinwande confirmed that no lives were lost in the incident. He, however, issued a strong warning against the indiscriminate burning of refuse, urging residents to adopt safer waste disposal practices.
“This incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of careless refuse burning. We appeal to the public to avoid such acts to prevent future disasters,” he added.
The fire was eventually brought under control by the state fire service team. No casualties were recorded.
