By Deborah Nnamdi
A fire outbreak on Monday gutted a six-room residential building in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Eyewitnesses reported that the incident occurred around 10:00 a.m. at No. S4/593B, near Olubi Primary School, Wesley, Elekuro, in the Ibadan South-East Local Government Area.
Though no casualties were recorded, the inferno caused significant damage to the structure before the state fire service intervened to prevent its spread to neighboring properties.
Confirming the incident, the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Services Agency Reform, Maroof Akinwande, said the blaze was triggered by an unattended cooking gas cylinder that exploded, setting the building ablaze.
“A distress call was received at exactly 10:22 a.m. on Monday, June 16, through the Security Trust Fund’s toll-free emergency line. Our team, led by ACFS Adekola (Mrs), was swiftly dispatched to the scene,” Akinwande stated.
“Upon arrival, we found the private residence fully engulfed in flames. Our personnel acted quickly to contain the fire and protect surrounding buildings and property.”
He urged residents to exercise greater caution when using gas and electric cookers, emphasizing that negligence in domestic cooking can lead to preventable disasters.