A devastating fire outbreak on Alhaji Odo Street in the Odundun area of Ile-Oluji, Ondo State, has left multiple families in distress after a residential property was engulfed in flames, leading to the loss of belongings valued at several million naira.
The blaze, which occurred late in the evening, was reportedly triggered by an electrical surge following a suspected fault.
The fire quickly spread throughout the building, reducing it to rubble and destroying important documents, household items, and as many as 36 containers of palm oil.
Mr. Olanrewaju Festus Oladipo, who witnessed the incident, said the fire erupted suddenly and proved impossible to control.
“Everyone tried to put out the fire, but without proper firefighting tools, there was little we could do,” he recounted.
“We even rushed to the fire station on a motorcycle, only to be told they had no functional equipment. Watching everything go up in flames was heartbreaking.”
One of the victims, Mrs. Bukola Afolabi, described the terrifying moment the fire started, linking it to irregular electricity in the area.
“At around 5 p.m., we called an official from BEDC to report a power outage. He later informed us that the transformer issue had been fixed. Not long after power was restored and then went off again, we noticed a strange smell and sound, and that was when the fire began,” she said.
“I barely had time to gather my children and run. We lost everything — certificates, important documents, our household items, and 36 kegs of palm oil. Six families lived in that house, including the landlord. All of us are farmers,” Afolabi added.
She pleaded with authorities to take urgent action to stabilize the power supply in the area and thanked her neighbors for their help during the ordeal.
Another resident, Mr. Taiwo Fayehun, criticized the absence of functional firefighting services in Ile-Oluji, calling for immediate government intervention.
“This isn’t the first time such a tragedy has occurred here. There’s an urgent need for the state to establish a well-equipped fire service station in Ile-Oluji. Fire protection is a basic service that people deserve,” he stressed.
Affected residents are appealing to both the Ondo State Government and the local council for relief and preventive measures to avoid similar disasters in the future.
