A fire outbreak triggered by the explosion of a mobile phone battery has damaged a shop at the popular Tecno Complex in the Mokola area of Ibadan, Oyo State.
The Oyo State Fire Services Agency disclosed on Tuesday that the incident occurred on Monday evening and was swiftly brought under control by firefighters, preventing the flames from spreading to nearby shops and properties.
According to the Chairman of the agency, Maroof Akinwande, the fire service received a distress call at about 8:15 p.m. from a resident, Mr Oluyomade Adepeju, reporting that a shop within the commercial complex had been engulfed by fire.
Akinwande said a team of firefighters led by Assistant Chief Fire Superintendent Amoo immediately responded to the emergency and arrived at the scene to find the affected shop, located on the upper floor of the building, already engulfed in flames with thick smoke billowing from the premises.
He noted that the firefighters acted promptly to contain and extinguish the blaze, thereby averting further destruction to adjoining businesses and surrounding property.
Preliminary findings by the agency indicated that the incident was caused by the explosion of a mobile phone battery, which ignited combustible materials within the shop.
The fire service boss confirmed that no life was lost and no injuries were recorded during the incident.
He added that the firefighting crew successfully concluded the operation and returned to base later in the night after ensuring the area was safe.
Akinwande commended officers of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Mokola Divisional Headquarters for providing security throughout the rescue operation.
He also urged residents and business owners to observe safety precautions when handling electrical and electronic devices, warning that negligence could lead to avoidable fire disasters.
The chairman further stressed the need for commercial property owners to install functional fire extinguishers in their buildings to facilitate quick intervention whenever fire emergencies occur.