Pastor Killed As Fire Set To Clear Undergrowth On His Land Turns Deadly
A 73-year-old cleric, Pastor Awolola, has died after a fire he allegedly set to clear undergrowth on his land spiralled out of control in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The tragic incident occurred on Monday at Cemetery Road, Irewolede Area, when the Kwara State Fire Service received a distress call at about 11:58 a.m. reporting a raging fire within a fenced property containing an incomplete building.
Confirming the incident in a statement, the Head of the Media Unit for the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, said preliminary findings showed that the deceased had started the fire while attempting to burn undergrowth on his own land.
According to the Fire Service, the property had a perimeter fence with only one gated exit. As the fire spread rapidly, it reportedly engulfed the exit, trapping the elderly man inside the premises.
“Findings revealed that the undergrowth fire spread quickly and cut off the only means of escape,” the statement said. “The victim reportedly attempted to scale the fence, but the fire had already advanced to that point, resulting in his death.”
Firefighters were said to have responded promptly and succeeded in containing and extinguishing the fire before it spread to nearby properties in the densely populated area. However, by the time the blaze was brought under control, Pastor Awolola had already died. His remains were later recovered and handed over to the Community Chairman, Mr. Sunday Nuha, for further necessary action in line with local protocols.
Reacting to the incident, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, CFS Alabi Muhammed, described the death as avoidable and warned residents against bush and undergrowth burning.
He noted that such practices are highly dangerous and unpredictable, especially during dry and windy conditions, which can cause fires to spread rapidly and trap victims.
“Bush and undergrowth burning often lead to preventable loss of lives and property,” Muhammed warned, urging residents to adopt safer land-clearing methods and to immediately alert the Fire Service in the event of any fire outbreak.
The Kwara State Fire Service reiterated its commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the state.
