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Tragedy: Over 20 families rendered homeless as inferno razes building in Akure. Call for Help
In a tragic turn of events, mid-day inferno had engulfed a building at Number 8, Ogo Oluwa Street, around Yayi Akorede, Oshinle Quarters in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, leaving nearly twenty residents, including an expectant mother, a widow with six children, an aged and elderly individuals among others homeless.
All the properties belonging to occupants of the razed building were lost to the inferno, as neighbours rallied to donate clothing materials to the grieving tenants.
The fire which started around 10am and lasted for several hours, according to eyewitnesses, went out of control and overpowered their efforts to put it out before the arrival of men of the State Fire Service whose frantic efforts to quench the inferno also proved abortive.
Speaking with the victims at separate interviews, they all lamented in anguish, crying to Nigerians and particularly government and philanthropists to come to their aid for survival, as the fire has left them completely empty.
Aged madam Funmilayo Ayegbokiki, at her early 70 years, was on towel when the inferno engulfed the building. She narrated that she came back from a night vigil, very tired, but opted to take a shower before relaxing, but on getting to the bathroom with a towel tied across her chest , she was called that there is excessive smoke from the ceiling through another tenant’s apartment opposite hers, which happened to belong to a pregnant woman who she said was cooking in their kitchen.
The noise of the smoke and fire she heard made her ran back to her room, but that she saw traces of smoke coming through her neighbour’s room and was fast escalating across the building through the ceiling.
The pregnant woman, Mrs. Funbi Fayoke Omodara whose date of delivery seems very close, explained that she just left the room with a cup of water to the kitchen where she was cooking and even told her neighbour, Madam Ayegbokiki, that there was still electricity in other building but that the light failed to transmit in their building, not knowing that it has developed fault at the ceiling which caused a spark that led to excessive smoke resulting into fire and fast spread across the entire building.
Mrs .Salami Adeola Ajibola, a widow with six children, said she was out to Ondo city for one of the menial jobs she does to cater for her children when she was called that the building was on fire, and on her return, she discovered that the house has been completely razed down and nothing was left from the building.
“The little properties I had, my clothes and everything were burnt to ashes, not even a pin could be saved from the fire. I am a widow and have no one helping me.
I am pleading that government should come to our aids. No where to lay our heads talk of clothing and feeding,” she lamented.
Mr. Ogundoro Kehinde, amidst tears, lamented that his family with two kids are homeless as he appealed for succour from whoever can render them assistance to at least shade his children and wife.
Another occupant of the house, Mr Monday Okafor, who was weeping profusely, lamented that he was at the mechanic shop at Olokuta along Ondo road when he was hinted about the fire, but that he didn’t take it too serious because he is always cautious of switching off all appliances before leaving the house.
Okafor, who is a truck driver is still in a deep shock over the ugly development and has been scouting from one place to another to get where to sleep.
On his own, Mr Ogundoro Kehinde, a father of two kids was also out for his tilling work when the information got to him. On getting to the scene, not a single thing of any of the occupants of the ill-fated building was rescued, as his motorcycle was burnt beyond recognition in the inferno.
“All my certificates, working machine and othe properties were razed down by the fire, he said amidst tears.
On what may likely be the cause, the occupants of the building were speechless as they wondered how and why a building would be razed down like that. ” It is still like a dream, majority of them said.
Eye witnesses account had it that they saw smoke oozing out from the ceiling of one of the tenant’s room which spread so fast across the entire house and engulfed the entire building.
“Attempts were made to stop the fire but to no avail, even despite the early arrival of men of the State Fire Service, they were unable to salvage the situation, but the all stood watching the properties worth millions of naira went down the drain.
Responding on their survival rate, the tenants of the razed down cried and said they would appreciate whatever help that could be rendered to them.
The Ondo State Fire Service , Allagbaka , Akure, confirmed the incident and said that they were on ground and did the best they could to stop the fire but to no avail.
While investigating further on the development, the officer who spoke on anonymity said he was not authorize to speak on the development but that report for dissemination should be based on what the residents and victims of the affected house narrated.
We at Ebony Herald join our voice with that of the victims to call on all well meaning individuals, organisations, and the government, to stretch a hand of love and care to these ones.
Below are their contacts and bank details.
1.Mrs Salami Adeola
Ajibola (widow) 09038526100
Account Number: 3061108580 (First Bank)
2. Mr. Monday Okafor (farmer/business) 08064464635 Account Number 8064464635 (Opay)
3. Mr Ogundoro Kehinde (Tiler) 09035949375 account number: 4288735015 (FCMB)
4. FUNBI FAYOKE OMODARA.( Pregnant Woman) 08103327523
Account Number 0076059369 (Access)
5. Francis Sunday(Truck driver) 07032491578 account number: 2219117425 UBA
6. Janet Oluwafunmilayo Ayegbokiki (widow) 08032573693 account number 2360121632 Zenith bank
