A devastating inferno unfolded in the Badmus area, opposite Agbala Daniel Church, on Ojoo-Iwo-Road in the Akinyele Local Government Area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Saturday.
The tragic incident claimed the life of a 30-year-old welder, Alabi Quadri, while leaving four others hospitalized with varying degrees of injuries.
The fire, reportedly caused by a gas explosion, engulfed about six trailers, further intensifying the impact of the incident. Eyewitnesses shared harrowing details, with Quadri succumbing to his injuries in the early hours of Sunday at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
The four individuals with serious injuries are currently undergoing treatment at different medical facilities, including UCH, Oyo Mesi Specialist Hospital in Orogun, and Hamdalat Hospital in Ojoo, all within the Ibadan metropolis.
In an interview with PUNCH, Segun Ajiboye, a mechanic affected by the incident, confirmed the extent of the damage, revealing that six trailers, including three owned by his customers, were affected. Ajiboye recounted the tragic events, stating, “I am a trailer mechanic. I do convert trailers’ steering from right to left. We called it ‘righty.’ The fire occurred at our workshop in the Badmus area. No shop was burnt down. It affected six trailers (DAF).”
Ajiboye added, “I was not in the shop when the incident happened. I went to the Automated Teller Machine at Ojoo to get some cash when I received a call that fire had gutted some trailers in our shop. I quickly rushed back, and before I could get there, about six vehicles had already been affected. Three were burnt down in my stand.”
According to Ajiboye’s account, the fire started a few cars away from his stand. The late Quadri was using a generator to work on a vehicle due to a lack of electricity. Another person nearby was using oxygen and gas, unaware that the oxygen pipe had burst, leading to a sudden ignition.
The incident serves as a tragic reminder of the dangers inherent in industrial workspaces and the need for heightened safety measures to prevent such devastating events.
