fire outbreak, on Sunday evening, reportedly destroyed the auditorium and three offices of The Word Assembly Church in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The fire which engulfed over N39.5Million church properties started shortly after the evening Sunday service at the headquarter of the church located along Ajase-Ipo Road, Ilorin.
The Head of Media and Publicity of the State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle in a statement noted that the fire consumed the main auditorium and three of the six offices at the headquarters.
Adekunle put the total estimated property lost in the incident at N39.5Million while the total estimated property saved was N74.3Million.
He 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.
Therefore, Director Kwara State Fire Service Prince Falade John Olumuyiwa strongly emphasized the importance of timely reporting of fire incidents by the general public. He urged everyone to call the Fire Service promptly whenever a fire occurs, emphasizing that this swift action is crucial for minimizing the extent of fire damage,” Adekunle said.
