A Mitsubishi pick-up van conveying 30 bags of flour was gutted by fire in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Wednesday after its engine reportedly overheated.

The incident was said to have occurred at about 1:53 p.m., prompting a distress call to the Oyo State Fire Service. According to the chairman of the agency, Moroof Akinwande, firefighters responded promptly and arrived at the scene to find the vehicle with registration number SMK 636 YJ engulfed in flames while still in motion.

He added that the fire crew immediately deployed firefighting equipment and successfully extinguished the blaze, preventing it from spreading to nearby properties, and no life was lost, and no injuries were recorded.

Meanwhile, preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was caused by an overheated engine.

In the meantime, Akinwande advised motorists to carry out routine maintenance on their vehicles before embarking on journeys to minimise the risk of fire outbreaks.

He further stressed the importance of installing functional fire extinguishers in all vehicles, to enable the drivers to tackle fire incidents at an early stage. The agency further urged members of the public to report fire emergencies promptly through its emergency lines or the toll-free emergency number.