A section in the palace of Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, was razed on Wednesday morning.
The dawn inferno, which was said to have started at about 6am destroyed properties worth millions of naira.
21 one rooms, including Ile-ifa and Ile-ori (historical sites), as well as residential apartments belonging to the Oloris ( king’s wives) were also affected.
The cause of the fire could not be immediately ascertained, but the Zonal Commander of Oyo State Fire Service, Mr. Munirudeen Olalekan Abidogun, who led a team of fire fighters to put out the fire, said his station promptly responded to a distress call it got at about 6.47am.
He said, “It took a lot of time before the fire could be put out due to the architectural designs of the palace. The buildings within were linked.
“After the first water tanker was exhausted, we had to send for another water tanker from nearby office, before the fire could be finally put out. It was indeed a serious fire incident.”
Relying on the information made available to him by the monarch, Abidogun said “the inferno was caused by electrical surge.”
Residents, including political office holders, have been paying sympathy visits to the palace.
Among the early birds were the Chairman, Oyo State House Committee on Local Governments and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Femi Adelakun and his works counterpart, Mr. Waliu Adekunle. Source:The Nation
