AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The Oyo State Fire Service has attributed a recent fire outbreak at an industrial facility in Ibadan to an explosion from a running machine.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday at Shril-Balaj Industrial Limited in the Olopomeji area of the city, destroyed property worth millions of naira.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the blaze originated in the company’s recycling section, which housed a large quantity of disused tyres.
In a statement on Monday, the Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, confirmed that the agency received a distress call at exactly 7:07 a.m. on Sunday.
“The fire was caused by the explosion of a running machine, which ignited nearby flammable materials and sparked a major blaze.
“The fire engulfed the recycling section and disused tyres, but our team was able to prevent it from spreading to other parts of the facility,” Akinwande explained.
Although no casualties were reported, the incident highlights ongoing safety concerns within the state’s industrial sector.
This latest fire comes just months after a similar inferno in April destroyed at least 12 shops in Ibadan.
That inferno erupted at Block A, No. 64, Mayegun Cement Store Market in the Araromi area of Agodi-Gate and raged for over three hours before firefighters brought it under control.
