Late into the night of yesterday, February 27, there was a spark that emanated from the ripping of wires from a transformer near Zamfara hostel at the University of Ilorin, which caused a dangerous wildfire.
Speaking with the Student Union’s President of Unilorin, we were able to confirm the cause of the incident and its subsequent solution.
The President said:
When the breeze started blowing, two wires sparked which made them rip, drop and make contact with each other and the surrounding grass, which caused a fire almost immediately bacause of the breeze. Nobody could go near. Immediately I was called upon, I came around and took the lead into the fire and even the girls were shouting that I should be careful because there was fire on the ground. We had to use stick to hit all the fire and then we started packing sand to pour on the fire. We then put a call through to the fire service and they came after the fire was down to make a final quench.
The President also appreciated the girls for raising the alarm on the fire outbreak, and also all the girls that helped inpouring of the sand and water on the fire. He said that he is also grateful to all members from Lagos girls’ hostel that came out to help.
Speaking with another eye witness who goes by the name Delite, he said
I was in my room when it happened but I heard from fellow hostelite that there was a lightening casued by the thunder because of the rain. Which lead to the cutting of the wire from the electric pole, when the wire touched the dry grass it caught fire. President Passion and some other guys helped in putting the fire out before the fire service arrived
