Fire Razes Petrol Station, Church in Oyo
Fire Razes Petrol Station, Church in Oyo
In a series of unfortunate incidents, separate fire outbreaks have gutted a petrol station and a church in different local government areas of Oyo State.
According to reports from the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, the first incident involved an explosion at the Rain Oil Filling Station located along the Ogbomoso/Ilorin Old Road in Ogbomoso North Local Government Area.
The explosion, which occurred on Wednesday evening, caused significant damage to the facility’s infrastructure, though no lives were lost.
The Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Mr. Moroof Akinwande, confirmed that the agency received a distress call regarding the petrol station explosion at approximately 7:30 pm. Firefighters were quickly mobilized to the scene, where they encountered shattered roofing sheets, cracked walls, and damaged POP ceilings.
The team utilized professional technical expertise to secure the area, preventing further explosions and ensuring the safety of both pedestrians and motorists in the vicinity.
The second disaster struck on Thursday afternoon when a devastating fire razed a church located behind Banikol Hotel on Oonireke Street in Ilora, within the Afijio Local Government Area.
The fire was reported to the authorities at about 1:16 pm by a local resident. By the time the fire crew arrived at the scene, the building was already heavily engulfed in flames and thick smoke, presenting a challenging situation for the first responders.
Led by Assistant Fire Superintendent Makinde, the firefighting team worked tirelessly to contain the inferno.
Their swift intervention was successful in preventing the flames from spreading to neighboring buildings and nearby properties, which could have led to even more catastrophic losses. Despite the severity of the blaze, the agency reported that the strategic response helped minimize the impact on the immediate community.
Preliminary investigations into the church fire suggest that the outbreak was triggered by electrical sparks from appliances within the building. These sparks reportedly ignited nearby combustible materials, which led to the rapid spread of the fire throughout the sanctuary. This incident has prompted renewed calls from safety officials for the public to exercise greater caution regarding electrical safety and the storage of flammable materials.
In light of these events, Mr. Akinwande emphasized the critical importance of installing fire extinguishers in all buildings, whether commercial or residential. He noted that having fire-fighting equipment on hand can help suppress fires at their incipient stages before they escalate.
He also urged the residents of Oyo State to remain vigilant and prioritize safety guidelines to prevent future occurrences of such destructive incidents.
