Mike Chuks, a businessman, reported losing a N30m truck used for business when a late-night fire engulfed the Obasanjo Trailer Park in Ogere, Remo-North Local Government Area of Ogun State, on Saturday.
In an interview with PUNCH Metro at the fire scene on Sunday, Chuks revealed that his truck caught fire because no firefighters were present to control the blaze.
PUNCH Online reported on Sunday that a fire destroyed one tanker and several makeshift shops.
Our correspondent visited the scene on Sunday and discovered that the fire had started around 11 pm on Saturday.
The fire reportedly started in one of the shops before spreading and engulfing the truck being repaired at the park. According to an eyewitness named Musa, occupants of the park collaborated to successfully extinguish the fire.
He recounted, “The fire ignited around 11 pm while we were asleep. A loud blast awakened us, and in an instant, flames engulfed everything.”
“People around used buckets to fetch water from the gutter to quench the fire because there were no firefighters nearby.”
Musa stated that despite their efforts, they were unable to bring the fire under control because there were no state fire services available in the vicinity.
Chuks recounted his loss, stating that he had taken the truck to the park for minor repairs. Soon after, he received a call from one of his associates who informed him about the incident.
He added that he was told the fire started from a makeshift shop nearby, adjacent to where his truck was parked.
“I lost my Aero 5 truck to the fire incident. I learnt that the fire caught one of the shops and extended to my truck. The truck is worth N30m. Two trucks were affected, but it was mine that got burnt completely.
“This incident will affect my business. I don’t know what to say and I’ve left everything in God’s hands. I am hoping I will get the necessary help to recover from this loss.
“There were no firefighters on the ground to curtail the fire incident, which could have prevented my truck from burning,” he stated.
When our correspondent contacted him on Sunday, Fatai Adefala, the Director of the Ogun State Fire Service, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview. He stated that firefighters had been dispatched to the scene but added that additional information was still forthcoming.
“I know they went there at that time, but I couldn’t get further information because I am down.”
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Meanwhile, Babatunde Akinbiyi, spokesperson for the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, informed our correspondent over the phone that injured individuals from the scene were transported to Victory Hospital in Ogere. The fire was extinguished through a collaborative effort involving community members, TRACE, and the police.
“According to an eyewitness, the injured persons had been taken to Victory Hospital, Ogere, by their family. TRACE operatives went to the hospital to confirm the numbers and sympathise with the injured, but were told that the victims had been discharged,” Akinbiyi added.
