It was a close call for students of Kwara State University, Malete, on Wednesday morning when the 18-seater bus they boarded caught fire and was completely gutted.
The incident occurred at approximately 7:54 am along the Ilorin-Sobi road, near the Sobi Barracks area. The students were reportedly heading to the main campus from the Bovas filling station at Akerebiata when the bus suddenly caught fire. A statement from the Kwara State Fire Service confirmed the fire outbreak, which involved a commercial bus bearing the registration number XUF 134 ZD.
“Our men responded quickly to a distress call and managed to put out the fire,” said Hassan Adekunle, spokesperson of the service. “Unfortunately, the bus was already completely consumed. Every part was damaged.” Preliminary findings suggested that the fire started from a spark in the engine compartment before spreading rapidly.
Director of the service, Prince Falade John Olumuyiwa, expressed sympathy to the vehicle’s owner and advised road users to always conduct basic checks on their vehicles before setting out, especially during this season. Thankfully, no lives were lost in the incident.
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