Property worth millions of naira was lost on Friday after a fire devoured three vehicles and a community powerhouse at a filling station in Kishi’s Kara region, Irepo Local Government region, Oyo State.
An eyewitness told our correspondent on Saturday that the event happened at 5 p.m. on Friday, following an explosion in the powerhouse that ignited surrounding flammable goods and spread to neighboring property.
Our correspondent’s investigations found that the affected vehicles were a Volvo truck with registration number AGG Lagos 731 GB, a Golf 3 with registration number KUT 403 AP, and an empty DAF truck with registration number GB0 14 AB.
Moroof Akinwande, Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reform and Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, confirmed the occurrence in a statement made in Ibadan on Saturday.
He stated that the inferno was reported at exactly 5:21 p.m. on Friday, January 9.
“The fire incident was reported at exactly 17:21 hrs on Friday, January 9, at Mr. Yusuff’s Oloyo Filling Station, Kara Area, Kishi, in the Irepo Local Government Area of the state,” Akinwande said.
“Immediately the address was received, a crew of firefighters led by Assistant Fire Superintendent Akande E. O. promptly responded and was deployed to the scene of the incident,” he added.
Akinwande added that when firefighters arrived, the powerhouse and three vehicles were already on fire.
“Upon arrival, it was a powerhouse, a Volvo truck with registration number AGG Lagos 731 GB, a Golf 3 with registration number KUT 403 AP, and an empty DAF truck with registration number GB0 14 AB that were engulfed by fire,” he said.
He mentioned that the firefighters swiftly brought the situation under control and prevented the fire from spreading to the main filling station and nearby buildings.
“No casualty was recorded. Property worth millions of naira was destroyed. The fire service was able to save the filling station, nearby buildings, and other property from imminent danger,” Akinwande said.
According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the incident was triggered by an explosion in the powerhouse, which ignited surrounding combustible items.
He advised filling station operators around the state to prioritize fire safety measures, emphasizing the significance of following safety regulations.
Akinwande also emphasized the importance of fire extinguishers in all commercial and residential buildings to help contain fires in their early stages.
He asked citizens to immediately report fires to the agency’s emergency lines: 08067439223, 08054353501, or the toll-free number 615.
