Tragedy struck in the quiet town of Idanre, Ondo State, on Friday as an inferno engulfed a newly roofed building belonging to one of the traditional chiefs of Idanre land (name withheld), leaving in its wake destruction worth millions of naira.

According to eyewitnesses, the fire was triggered by an electrical fault caused by a tenant’s faulty wiring connection.

The said tenant was not at home when the tragedy unfolded, leaving the fire to rage unchecked until it reduced valuables to ashes.

A scene of despair greeted sympathisers as electronic appliances, furniture, and personal belongings were reduced to charred remains.

The ceiling materials, highly inflammable, only worsened the situation, making it impossible for early intervention.

Amidst the rubble stood a young nursing mother, wailing inconsolably, her baby clutched to her chest. With tears streaming down her face, she lamented her fate, stating that she had lost everything she owned, except for the wrapper she had on.

“I don’t even know where to start from. My husband is just a poor peasant farmer. We have nothing left,” she cried.

A neighbour who spoke to Idanre Media Services laid the blame squarely on the tenant, alleging that he had illegally tapped electricity from an adjoining building, leading to a power surge that sparked the fire.

Residents who watched helplessly as the inferno raged, lamented the absence of a fire station in Idanre, stressing that the destruction could have been minimised if firefighters were stationed nearby.

They called on the Ondo State Government to urgently establish a fire service unit in the local government to prevent future disasters.