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

The fire broke out on Saturday, December 27, 2025, and was reported to the Oyo State Fire Services Agency headquarters at about 6:27 p.m. through a distress call from the busy neighbourhood.

Firefighters from the agency, led by Chief Fire Superintendent Adedeji, immediately mobilised to the scene amid fears that the incident could escalate into a major disaster.

On arrival, the officers found that six of the 12 rooms, all located on the upper floor of the building, were already ablaze. Swift action prevented the fire from spreading to the remaining rooms, the ground floor and nearby buildings.

The operation was jointly carried out by personnel of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency and the Federal Fire Service, Ibadan Command, whose coordinated efforts ensured the situation was quickly brought under control.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as tense, with thick smoke billowing into the sky and drawing residents and passersby to the area. Many later 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 casualties were recorded, a development officials attributed to the timely intervention of firefighters and the cooperation of residents.

After the fire was extinguished, the appliance returned safely to the station at about 8:32 p.m. and remained on standby for further emergencies.

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

He urged members of the public to always give way to emergency vehicles, especially fire trucks, to ensure quick access during emergencies, and stressed the importance of installing fire extinguishers in homes, saying early intervention could stop fires before they spread.