A severe fire outbreak on Thursday morning engulfed a residential building in Oyo town, destroying properties valued at millions of naira.
The incident, which took place at Prince Bayo Sanda Villa in the Farade area, was reportedly triggered by a power surge following the restoration of electricity.
Confirming the unfortunate event, the General Manager of the Oyo State Fire Service, Yemi Akinyinka, stressed the importance of fire safety awareness.
He disclosed that the fire was reported at exactly 10:35 AM, prompting immediate deployment of firefighters.
“Upon arrival, we found the building completely engulfed in flames. We acted swiftly to prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring buildings,” Akinyinka stated.
However, the fire had already burned for about 45 minutes before the report reached emergency responders.
It was later discovered that many residents were unaware of the fire service emergency hotline, which delayed the response.
Meanwhile, some residents lamented the loss of personal belongings and urged the government to enhance fire safety awareness.
One of the affected residents, Mrs. Funke Adebayo, expressed deep sorrow over the incident.
“It is heartbreaking to see a family lose everything in just a few hours. The government needs to do more to educate people on fire safety,” she said.
Firefighters from the Federal Fire Service, Oyo Command, also joined efforts to contain the blaze.
Despite the destruction of the building, nearby properties were successfully protected from the fire.
Authorities have once again called on residents to take fire prevention measures seriously.
Moreover, they emphasized the need to avoid electrical overloads and store emergency contact numbers for a quicker response during fire incidents.
The Oyo State Fire Service has urged the public to report fire emergencies promptly using the following contact numbers:
08067439223, 08054353501, or dial 615.
