Documents, items lost as fire razes house in Ibadan

ITEMS worth millions of Naira and several documents were razed in an inferno which ravaged a house at No 40, Lawoyin Street, Anfaani Layout, Ring Road, Ibadan, in the early hours of Monday.

The fire, which burnt all the items in the two-bedroom flats in the first storey of the four flats building, according to the owner, Mrs Cecilia Mosunmola Aborishade, started around 1.30 a.m. “probably from a power surge.”

Mrs Aborishade, a retired banker, informed Metro that “the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) restored power into the area around 11.45 p.m. on Sunday. At about 1.30 a.m, I was hearing sounds from the second flat which is reserved for my children and grandchildren.”

Mrs Aborishade disclosed further that when she noticed the unusual sound, “I went straight inside to confirm the source, alas, it was fire from the second flat. Then, it was not so much, but Holy Spirit told me to step backward. So, I ran back and called on all occupants and we all moved down to safety.”

Speaking further, she said “we then alerted the fire service guards at Challenge station who came with truck load of water. They commenced the operation from our flat which was not affected as at that moment, but they exhausted their water in the process without  much  success.

“Though some neighbours who later helped out, complained that they used ordinary water without chemical. They based their argument on the premise that as the fire brigade officer were applying the water, it should have had effect on the inferno, but in that case, there was no effect. In addition, when they exhausted the first  tanker of water, they brought a second tanker, led by a female officer, but the pumping machine failed to work. So, they were helpless as our neighbours were fetching water from wells and pouring it into the two flats from all angles.”

According to another eyewitness, the fire razed everything in the entire six rooms and the two sitting rooms, including kitchens and stores of the two flats, including the roofing sheets.

By the time Metro got to the scene, some commissioned workers, neighbours and family friends were helping Mrs Aborishade to clear the debris.

Recounting the loss, Mrs Aborishade, who said she thanked God for the privilege to drive out her cars parked at the garage before the fire got out of control, however, disclosed that she lost some of her vital documents like voter card, driver licence, house papers and several others to the fire incident.

She said “I thank God for the grace as a Christian. I know my God is able. The most itching aspect is the volume of documents lost to the incident. As at the moment, my driving licence, voter card, papers of our houses in Oro, Lagos, Ibadan and Ilorin, as well as very vital documents of my children which I cannot ascertain now.

“I am quite sure they have some vital documents in the second flat too. They can only confirm how much they have in there when they come around.

“But the most important thing is that, no life was lost. My God will rebuild the house for me. In the first instance, it was His grace that built it, so He is still able,” Mrs Aborishade said.