By Omowumi Omotosho
A devastating fire outbreak on Monday at Zone 5, Saw-Mill Odo-Okun, Ilorin, has left victims counting their losses in the wake of the destruction of goods worth fifty million naira.
The fire reportedly started around 3 a.m., with the exact cause remaining unclear. The chairman of the Zone 5 plank sellers, AbdulAzeez Kure while speaking with National Pilot on Monday revealed that they were called by some residents of Sawmill Area when the fire started. He further declared that the source of the inferno remained unknown as there was no power supply when the fire started.
One of the affected victims, Adekunle Atiba, who specializes in the sales of planks, recounted the harrowing experience. “I was called around 3 a.m. this morning that my shop was on fire. When I arrived, the firefighters were already on the scene, but everything had been reduced to ashes. We are pleading for help. We hope merciful individuals will come to our aid,” he said
Another victim, Mrs. Fatima Abdulganiy, shared the tragic loss she endured. She had recently received a new supply of planks just last Thursday.
“The incident occurred after everyone has gone home. It was around 3am that one of my fellow sellers came and pick me up after they could not reach me by phone. We don’t know what happened, but there was no power supply at the time. We are calling on helpers to come to our rescue. Everything has turned to ashes, including the two machines I used for cutting planks,” she lamented.
A furniture maker whose goods were also consumed by the fire, Olaide Omokehinde, described the incident as a devastating blow. “I was out of town when the fire occurred around 3 a.m. I returned this morning upon hearing about the incident. The loss is enormous — the goods and equipment that were burned worth 50 million naira. We are calling on Nigerians for help,” Omokehinde, too, joined the call for assistance, urging Nigerians to come forward and help those affected by the fire.
As the victims await support, the community remains in shock over the severity of the loss, with many seeking answers and assistance in the wake of the disaster.
