Cigarette Stub Sparks Fire That Destroys Six Rooms in Ibadan

A fire outbreak in the early hours of Tuesday gutted six rooms in a residential building at Akinsoji Zone, Ogbere Moradeyo, Oremeji area of Ibadan.

The Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Mr. Maroof Akinwande, confirmed the incident in a statement. He said the agency received a distress call at exactly 5:55 a.m. from a resident, Mr. Kayode, after which firemen led by Chief Fire Superintendent Adesina Olusoji were dispatched to the scene.

According to Akinwande, the fire was contained through a joint effort between the Oyo State Fire Service and the Federal Fire Service, Ibadan Command, preventing it from spreading to nearby buildings.

While no lives were lost, the building was badly damaged. Investigations revealed that the fire was caused by a cigarette stub carelessly discarded by one of the occupants, which ignited nearby combustible materials.

Akinwande urged residents to adopt strict fire safety measures, including the installation of fire extinguishers in their homes. He warned that negligence with fire hazards, particularly smoking materials, often leads to avoidable destruction.