There was panic and confusion over the weekend in the Sango area of Ibadan when fire engulfed a storey residential building at No. 51, Alemuloke Street, destroying six rooms before firefighters brought the blaze under control.

The inferno, which broke out on Saturday, 27 December 2025, was reported to the Oyo State Fire Services Agency Headquarters at exactly 6:27 pm through a distress call, alerting authorities that a house was on fire in the busy neighbourhood.

Firefighters from the agency, led by Chief Fire Superintendent (CFS) Adedeji (Mrs), immediately mobilised and raced to the scene to avert what residents feared could turn into a major disaster.

On arrival, fire officers discovered that six out of the 12 rooms in the building, located on the upper floor of the storey structure, were already well alight. Swift action by the firefighters, however, prevented the raging fire from spreading to the remaining rooms, the ground floor, and nearby buildings.

The firefighting operation was jointly carried out by officers of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency and the Federal Fire Service, Ibadan Command, in a coordinated effort that ensured the situation was quickly brought under control.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as tense, as thick smoke billowed into the sky, drawing residents and passersby to the area. Many expressed relief that the fire was contained before it could consume the entire building or spread to adjoining houses in the densely populated street.

No casualty was recorded in the incident, a development officials attributed to the timely intervention of the firefighters and the cooperation of residents at the scene.

After successfully extinguishing the fire, the fire appliance returned safely to the station at about 8:32 pm and remained on standby for further emergencies.

Reacting to the incident, the Special Adviser on Fire Reform and Chairman, Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Hon. Dr Moroof Adebayo Akinwande, commended the officers for their swift and professional response, noting that their prompt action prevented the situation from escalating into a more devastating fire outbreak.

He urged members of the public to always give way to emergency vehicles, especially fire trucks, to ensure quick access during emergencies.

Akinwande also stressed the importance of installing fire extinguishers in homes, saying early intervention could stop fires at the initial stage before they spread.