Fire razes part of Ooni of Ife palace

Fire razes part of Ooni of Ife palace

A midnight fire on Friday razed a building apartment inside the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.

The fire incident was said to have occurred around 11:30pm, but was contained before it could spread to other sections of the palace.

It was gathered that the fire started after electricity supply was restored into the palace.

Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, who confirmed the incident, said the fire was triggered by power surge, which made electrical appliances to explode.

Olafare, in a statement, said the fire incident affected only a building within the courtyard and was quickly put out by the combined efforts of the State Fire Service Department and that of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ile.

The statement read: “A building apartment within the courtyard of the Palace of the Ooni Of Ife was, at about 11:30pm yesterday (Friday), engulfed in flames triggered by power surge which exploded through electrical appliances in the affected apartment.

“The inferno did not spread beyond the affected building located at a section of the palace premises.

“It was swiftly put out through the combined efforts of the Government Fire Service, OAU Fire Service and Palace Emergency Control Unit.

“No casualties or injuries were recorded, and no cultural items was lost. Thanks to the Almighty Olodumare.”