Tragedy struck during an Annual Christmas Carol service at Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke-Agbara Road, Olorunda-Aba, in Lagelu Local Government Area, as an inferno destroyed a section of the church on Friday night.
Evangelist Ayobami Adeleke, his wife, and children lost their educational certificates in the blaze, which also consumed other valuables worth millions of naira.
The congregation was in high spirits, singing and dancing to celebrate the season, unaware of the impending disaster.
A visibly distraught Adeleke revealed that the fire consumed not only his certificates but also those of his wife and children, leaving the family devastated.
The cause of the fire remains unclear, and church members are still coming to terms with the extent of the loss.
“It is as if I am in a dream land. Nobody foresee it but we give thanks to God that no life was lost.
“As you are seeing me now, I don’t have any other clothes elsewhere, aside the one that I put on. My wardrobe is empty. My certificate and that of my wife, daughter and other valuables have been lost to the incident.
“As at now, we can not ascertain the root cause of the incident. We just heard deafening noise while we were inside the auditorium.
“We are just rounding off the Carol service when the incident happened. All the members scampered for safety.
“The incident affected the Children’s church and other apartments that houses the men including where I stayed with my family.
“As I am talking to you now there is nowhere for me to stay,” he said.
The Cleric disclosed that no life was lost to the incident except valuables that worth millions of naira.
Also confirming the incident, the General Manager, Oyo state Fire Services, Revd Akinyemi Akinyinka said “Oyo State Fire Services Agency received a distressed call at exactly 21: 50hrs on Friday 13th December,2024 and Mr Salako to house on fire at the above address.
“Immediately, the address was taken, a crew of personnel was deployed to the scene of the incident.
“On arrival at the place, it was an adjourning mission house already well alight, we quickly swung into action and restricted the fire from spreading to the main church building where the Carol was going on during the fire incident.
“The mission house was affected by fire and we were able to save the main church building and other nearby buildings.
“No life was lost , property worth million of naira was lost and we were able to saved properties worth billions of naira.
‘The investigation still going on to know the root cause of the incident but the eye witness made us understand that during the incident, the yearly CAROL program was going on at the main church building that the fire incident happened at the mission house where children were playing.
“It was likely to be the children were playing with open fire unattended to”. (The Nation)
