A massive fire razed a warehouse at Global Crystal Foam Nigeria Limited in Oko-Oba, Oyo State, on Thursday night, destroying property worth millions of naira, officials confirmed.
The blaze, which broke out along Akinmorin Road, prompted a rapid response from state and federal fire services, who managed to contain the inferno within 15 minutes.
Hon. Maroof Akinwande, Senior Adviser on Fire Service Reform to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, visited the scene and urged the company’s management to prioritise fire safety measures to prevent future incidents.
“The governor places immense value on the safety of lives and property,” Akinwande said, calling on the public to cooperate with firefighters during emergencies.
The Oyo State Fire Service Agency, led by General Manager Akinyemi Akinyinka, was alerted to the fire at 8:50 pm by a retired fire officer, Mr. M.O. Adewuyi.
“Upon arrival, we found the warehouse engulfed in flames,” Akinyinka said.
“Our team, supported by the Federal Fire Service, Oyo Command, applied firefighting chemicals to restrict the fire from spreading to other sections of the company.”
Akinyinka noted that the fire, caused by overheating foam blocks igniting nearby combustibles, had raged for an hour before the agency was notified by a passerby who spotted smoke.
Despite the delay, the coordinated response prevented the blaze from consuming the entire facility, saving property worth millions.
Security was provided by a team from the Oyo East Division of the Amotekun Corps, led by CFS Adeduntan, who ensured no looting occurred during the operation.
