A business building on Ibiwe Street in the Oredo Local Government Area of Benin City was on Sunday afternoon gutted by fire, destroying goods reportedly worth millions of naira.
The incident occurred around noon on March 8, according to eyewitnesses who spoke to reporters at the scene. The exact cause of the fire had not been officially determined as of the time of filing this report.
However, sources in the area suggested that the blaze might be linked to solar panels installed on the roof of the building. One resident said the panels may have overheated due to the intense heat.
“The weather was extremely hot on Sunday and there was no electricity in the area before the fire started,” the source said, adding that the panels could have become overheated and later caught fire.
The inferno quickly spread through the building, destroying goods and business items valued at several millions of naira before it could be brought under control.
In the aftermath of the incident, some sympathisers and residents called on solar panel installers to be cautious about where and how such systems are mounted on buildings in order to reduce the risk of fire outbreaks and prevent loss of lives and property.
As of the time this report was filed, it was not immediately clear what response was taken by the Edo State Fire Service or other emergency responders to contain the blaze.
Authorities are yet to release an official statement on the incident.
