At least 18 students of the Kwara State University, Malete, on Wednesday escaped death when the vehicle they were travelling in suddenly caught fire while in motion.
The students were heading from Ilorin, the state capital, to Malete for a lecture when the 18-seater commercial bus caught fire while in motion.
At around 7:54 a.m., the accident involving the bus with registration number XUF 134 ZD occurred on Shao Road near the Sobi Army Barracks.
The bus was entirely destroyed, but no one was killed because members of the Kwara State Fire Service came on the scene quickly and extinguished the fire, saving the lives of students on their way to the university campus to attend their various lectures.
Hassan Adekunle, Head of Media and Publicity for the Kwara State Fire Service, verified the occurrence in a statement signed on behalf of the Director of the Fire, stating that the quick response to the tragedy spared the lives of the occupants of the bus, which was entirely burnt to ashes.
Adekunle said, “On Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at about 07:54 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service responded swiftly to a distress call regarding a vehicle fire involving an 18-seater bus with registration number XUF 134 ZD along Shao Road, near Sobi Barracks.
“The fire crew responded swiftly and successfully extinguished the fire.
“Regrettably, the vehicle was completely consumed by the flames, with all parts severely damaged.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire originated from a spark in the engine compartment, which rapidly escalated and engulfed the entire vehicle,” the statement added.
Adekunle mentioned that the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Prince John Famuyiwa, extended his heartfelt sympathy to the bus owner and used the opportunity to advise all road users to conduct routine vehicle checks before embarking on any journey as a precautionary measure against such incidents.
