Fire Destroys National Museum, Over 100 Shops in Ondo

By James Sowole in Akure

Property worth millions of Naira was destroyed by the early morning fire, which gutted the rate office of the Akure South Local Government and over 100 other lock up shops located near the palace of the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladelusi Aladetoyinbo.

The inferno, which THISDAY learnt started at about 12:45am, also destroyed the Akure office of the National Museum opposite the Post Office in the state capital.

The affected shops were mainly business centres where different secretarial services were being provided.

Some of the properties destroyed in the three affected shops and offices included air conditioners, photocopy machines, different sizes of generators, spiral binding machines, motorcycles, computers, stationery tables and chairs.

Though, the source of the inferno could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, but some people said it might be as a result of power surge.

Several shop owners have started counting their losses just as they called on the government to assist them.

The President, Association of Office Documents and Computers, Mrs. Elizabeth Orogun, described the fire incident as unfortunate.

“Over 100 shops were destroyed. Computers, generators, photocopying machine, camera, and clothes among other items were destroyed by the inferno.

Orogun said none of them could salvage anything from the rubbles as all their working tools were totally destroyed.

“I heard there was electricity around 12:30 am. Maybe there was power surge and it led to the fire, I cannot say.

“When people raised alarm and ran to the fire service, the people on duty said they did not have fuel in their vehicle and water to put off the fire.

“Government should please come to our aid because some of us have children at the University and we have no other means of getting money, all that we have had been gutted by fire”, she said.

Also, the Curator of the National Museum, Mr. Ogunmola Dada Nathaniel, described the fire incident as a national calamity as it affected parts of the museum and destroyed properties worth millions of Naira.

According to him, he received a distress call around 1: am from the security and he rushed to the scene only to find parts of the museum gutted by fire. He said the effect of the fire incident could have been mitigated if the State Fire Service had come to the place.

He said it took the effort of the traditional ruler of the town, Oba Aladetoyinbo before the Federal Airport Authority (FAAN) Fire Service came and put off the fire.

Speaking on the  incident, the Youth leader of Akure community, Tuyi Adekambi said, “The inferno started around 1: am as a result of a power surge. If we have functioning fire service in the state, the damage could not have been that much.

“For almost three hours, the fire service could not get to the scene of the fire incident and it was the Fire Brigade of FANN that came to rescue the situation, else the inferno would have reached the Deji’s palace.

“Government should be in a position to purchase vehicles for the fire service for each senatorial district in the state.