Panic gripped residents of Oko-Oba community in Oyo town on Tuesday night, July 8, 2025, after a raging fire gutted the warehouse of Global Crystal Foam Nigeria Limited, a prominent mattress manufacturer popularly known as MetroFoam. The inferno, which started around 10:39 pm, tore through part of the factory’s facility on Akinmorin Road, destroying equipment and stored products worth millions of naira.
Eyewitnesses reported that thick plumes of smoke and towering flames could be seen from several streets away, with residents fearing an explosion due to the high flammability of foam materials. Workers and locals scrambled to salvage nearby properties as the fire spread rapidly before emergency response teams arrived.
The Oyo State Fire Service, led by Chief Fire Marshal Yisau Lateef, was quick to respond. Firefighters launched an aggressive containment effort that successfully restricted the blaze to the warehouse section of the facility. Despite the intensity of the fire, adjoining areas of the factory were saved from damage due to the swift deployment of fire-retardant chemicals.
According to the agency’s chairman, Maroof Akinwande, preliminary investigations attribute the fire to spontaneous combustion caused by overheating and accumulation of foam materials in the storage unit. “It was a typical case of chemical heat buildup. Our team acted with urgency, and thanks to their professionalism, the fire didn’t consume the entire factory,” he said in a press briefing on Wednesday.
While the exact value of the damages remains under assessment, factory management has confirmed that significant inventory was lost, but no lives were harmed. Staff on duty managed to evacuate safely, and no injuries were reported. The company has pledged to cooperate with emergency agencies to enhance fire safety protocols moving forward.
MetroFoam, a leading supplier of bedding products in southwestern Nigeria, plays a critical role in the local manufacturing economy. The incident has raised concerns about industrial fire preparedness, especially in factories dealing with combustible materials like polyurethane foam.
Authorities have urged manufacturing companies across the state to invest in early fire detection systems, conduct regular safety drills, and decongest warehouses to prevent similar incidents. The State Fire Service also renewed its call for stricter adherence to industrial fire codes to safeguard lives, jobs, and infrastructure.
