A devastating fire outbreak has destroyed property and equipment at an aluminium company in Ibadan and a residential building in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, in separate incidents that occurred within 24 hours.
The first incident happened on Thursday at Km 110, Iyaganku area of Ibadan, where an aluminium company was engulfed in flames, leading to significant damage to its office space and adjoining warehouse.
Firefighters were deployed to the scene and managed to contain the blaze before it spread further, but not before substantial losses were recorded at the industrial facility.
According to the Oyo State Fire Service, the fire was triggered by an electrical spark from an appliance that was left plugged in and unattended. The spark reportedly ignited nearby combustible materials, rapidly spreading through the building.
Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, confirmed the incident and said emergency responders acted quickly to bring the situation under control and prevent further destruction.
In a separate incident on Wednesday, fire also gutted part of an ancient residential building in Ogbomoso, raising fresh concerns about electrical safety and fire prevention in older structures.
Officials said the blaze started in the first room on the right side of the building and was already well advanced before emergency teams arrived at the scene.
Fire service personnel were able to stop the fire from spreading to other parts of the building, though the affected section was badly damaged.
Akinwande confirmed both incidents and reiterated that preliminary findings pointed to electrical faults as the cause of the fires.
He stressed the need for residents and business owners to take basic safety precautions, especially with electrical appliances, to avoid similar tragedies.
The two incidents add to growing concerns over fire outbreaks in Oyo State, with authorities urging stricter adherence to safety standards in both residential and commercial buildings.
