A raging fire, on Sunday evening, engulfed the auditorium and three offices of The Word Assembly Church in Ilorin, Kwara State.
INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that the fire which reportedly started in the evening after the Sunday Service consumed the main auditorium and three of the six offices at the headquarters of the church located along Ajase-Ipo Road, Ilorin.
It was gathered that the fire caused severe damage to the church properties because of the late reporting of the incident to the state fire service and other security agencies in the state.
The Head of Media and Publicity at the service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, in a statement made available to the public on Monday, said one Mr Akani made “an urgent call” reporting the incident around 5:08 pm on September 3.
READ MORE: Firemen Recover 43-Year-Old Man’s Corpse From Fish Pond In Kwara
Adekunle said, “On Sunday, September 3rd, 2023, at approximately 17:08 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service received an urgent call reporting a fire outbreak at The Word Assembly Headquarters along Ajase-Ipo Road in Ilorin, Kwara State. The distress call was made by one Mr. Akanni.
“The fire crew promptly responded to the call. Upon arrival at the scene, they found that a devastating inferno had already consumed the auditorium of the church due to the late call despite the significant damage caused by the fire. However, the firemen managed to contain the inferno and prevent it from spreading further.
“It’s worth noting that the materials used for the building construction were not fire-retardant, including aluminium roofing and plywood for the ceiling. These non-fire-resistant materials contributed to the rapid spread of the fire before the fire service’s arrival.”
“During the subsequent investigation into the cause of the outbreak, it was suspected to be a result of a power surge.
“At the scene of the incident, notable figures such as Alhaji AbdulRazaq Jiddah, the Senior Special Assistant to the Kwara Governor on Special Duties; and Prince Falade John Olumuyiwa, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, were present.
“Additionally, various security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and the Federal Fire Service, provided support and assistance to reduce the damage done to property in the fire incident.”
