A wildfire killed 73-year-old pastor Samson Awolola on his private home in the Irewolede district of Ilorin, Kwara State.
The incident occurred on Monday morning, after he allegedly set fire to bushes and dry grasses on his property, which has an unfinished structure, a walled perimeter, and a single gated exit. The fire was believed to have spread quickly, cutting off the only exit from the building.
According to eyewitnesses, a worker working with the pastor was able to escape by climbing over the fence. However, residents said Pastor Awolola became stranded while attempting to flee through the fence as the flames closed in on him.
Officials from the Kwara State Fire Service later arrived and effectively extinguished the fire, preventing it from spreading to surrounding properties. Unfortunately, the victim had died before rescue efforts could reach him.
The Kwara State Fire Service confirmed the event in a statement made Monday evening, stating that they got an emergency contact at 11:58 a.m. Hassan Adekunle, the agency’s Public Relations Officer, said that the deceased’s remains had been retrieved and turned over to Sunday Nuha, the community chairman, for further action.