A faulty refrigerator left on overnight has been blamed for a fire that destroyed a provision shop in the Farade area of Oyo town, Oyo State, on Sunday night.
The fire, which started around 10:45 pm, quickly spread through the shop, damaging goods and equipment estimated to be worth millions of naira. The shop is located beside a petrol station, which raised concerns of a possible explosion, but the quick arrival of the fire service prevented the situation from worsening.
Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Hon. Maroof Akinwande, confirmed the incident on Monday. “Our team, led by ACFS Tijani Bamidele, responded swiftly after we got the alert. They were able to stop the fire from consuming the entire shop and nearby buildings,” he said.
Akinwande explained that investigations showed the fire was caused by heat from a refrigerator that had been left plugged in and unattended. “We want to remind all shop owners to always turn off their appliances when leaving their shops,” he added.
Although firefighters managed to save part of the shop and some goods, the damage was still extensive.
The Oyo State Fire Service has since advised the public to be more careful with electrical devices, especially during hot weather or long periods of absence.
