Unattended cooking gas has sparked separate residential fire incidents in Ibadan and Saki areas of Oyo State, destroying parts of buildings and properties worth millions of naira. The Oyo State Fire Services Agency confirmed the incidents, which occurred on Saturday at Igbo-Baale area behind Baptist Medical Centre, Ajegunle, Saki, and at No. 19 Ogunleye Avenue, Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
No Casualties Recorded
The agency stated that no casualties were recorded in both incidents due to the prompt intervention of firefighters, who prevented the infernos from spreading to nearby buildings. In a statement, the agency noted that the Saki fire incident was reported at about 5:10 p.m. through a distress call from residents.
Personnel led by Chief Fire Superintendent Ayegbokiki were immediately deployed to the scene, where they found a two-flat private residential building engulfed in flames and thick smoke. Firefighters swiftly curtailed the fire and stopped it from extending to adjoining structures and properties within the neighbourhood. The agency attributed the cause to cooking gas left unattended during use.
Second Incident in Ibadan
Another fire outbreak was recorded later the same day at a private residential building on Ogunleye Avenue, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. The distress call, received at about 8:09 p.m., prompted a rapid response by fire officers led by PFS II Ojo. On arrival, the firemen discovered that a room-and-parlour self-contained apartment on the upper floor of a storey building had been engulfed by flames and thick smoke.
The fire service said its officers launched a coordinated firefighting operation that successfully prevented the blaze from spreading to other parts of the building. Properties worth millions of naira were salvaged during the operation. The agency confirmed that the Ibadan fire incident was also caused by unattended domestic cooking gas.
Official Urges Safety Measures
Reacting to the incidents, the Special Adviser on Fire Service Reform and Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Hon. Dr. Moroof Adebayo Akinwande, urged residents to strictly observe safety procedures while using domestic gas appliances. He warned against negligence during cooking and advised households to always monitor gas cookers and other cooking materials while in use.
Akinwande also emphasised the importance of installing functional fire extinguishers in homes and commercial buildings to contain fire outbreaks at an early stage before emergency responders arrive. He further appealed to residents to promptly report fire emergencies and provide accurate addresses to enable quick response by firefighters.
