A wild fire has claimed the life of a 73-year-old pastor, Samson Awolola, on his private property in Irewolede area of Ilorin, Kwara State.
The incident occurred on Monday morning after he reportedly set fire to bushes and dry grasses on his land, which has an uncompleted structure, a fenced perimeter and a single gated exit. The fire was said to have spread swiftly, cutting off the only escape route from the premises.
An eyewitness account indicated that a labourer working with the pastor was able to save himself by climbing over the fence. However, residents said Pastor Awolola became trapped while attempting to escape through the fence as the flames closed in on him.
Officials of the Kwara State Fire Service later arrived at the scene and successfully extinguished the fire, preventing it from spreading to nearby properties. Sadly, the victim was already dead before rescue efforts could reach him.
Confirming the incident in a statement issued on Monday evening, the Kwara State Fire Service said it received an emergency call at about 11:58 a.m.
The agency’s Public Relations Officer, Hassan Adekunle, disclosed that the remains of the deceased were recovered and handed over to the community chairman, Sunday Nuha for further action.
