According to the statement, the property contained an unfinished structure with a perimeter fence and a gated entrance, a factor that later proved fatal as the fire escalated unexpectedly.
A tragic incident has claimed the life of a 73-year-old man, identified as Pastor Awolola, after a fire he reportedly set to clear undergrowth on his own parcel of land spiralled out of control at Cemetery Road, Irewolede Area of Ilorin, Kwara State.
SaharaReporters gathered that the incident occurred on Monday when the Kwara State Fire Service received a distress call at about 11:58hrs, alerting them to a raging fire within a fenced property housing an incomplete building.
Reacting to the incident in a statement issued on Monday, the Head of the Media Unit for the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, confirmed that the fire was allegedly started by the deceased while attempting to burn undergrowth on land he owned.
According to the statement, the property contained an unfinished structure with a perimeter fence and a gated entrance, a factor that later proved fatal as the fire escalated unexpectedly.
“Findings revealed that the undergrowth fire spread rapidly and engulfed the only exit from the premises,” the Fire Service disclosed. “In an attempt to escape, the victim tried to scale the fence, but the fire had already advanced to that point, resulting in his death.”
Firefighters from the Kwara State Fire Service reportedly arrived swiftly at the scene and immediately swung into action, successfully containing and extinguishing the blaze before it could spread to adjoining properties in the densely populated area.
However, by the time the fire was brought under control, Pastor Awolola had already succumbed, and his lifeless body was recovered from the scene.
Meanwhile, the remains were subsequently handed over to the Community Chairman, Mr. Sunday Nuha, for further necessary action in line with local protocols.
Expressing deep sorrow over the incident, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, CFS Alabi Muhammed, described the death as avoidable and issued a strong warning to residents against the practice of bush and undergrowth burning.
He stressed that such activities are extremely dangerous and unpredictable, particularly during dry and windy weather conditions, which can cause fires to spread rapidly and trap unsuspecting victims.
“Bush and undergrowth burning often result in preventable loss of lives and property,” the Director warned, urging members of the public to embrace safer land-clearing alternatives and to promptly notify the Fire Service in the event of any fire outbreak.
The Kwara State Fire Service reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the protection of lives and property across the state.