A tragic fire broke out at Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke-Agbara Road, Olorunda-Aba, during the church’s annual Christmas Carol service on Friday night, leaving a cleric and his family devastated.
Evangelist Ayobami Adeleke, his wife, and children lost vital documents, including their educational certificates, in the blaze. The fire also destroyed other valuable possessions worth millions of naira.
The evening started with high spirits, as churchgoers sang and danced in celebration of the Christmas season. However, their joy was soon overshadowed by the shocking disaster.
The cause of the fire remains unclear, and an investigation is underway. According to those who witnessed the incident, the fire began in a mission house adjacent to the church, where children were playing.
“We just finished the carol service and then we heard a loud noise,” said Adeleke, who was visibly shaken by the events. “Everyone started running for safety.”
As church members scrambled to escape, they watched in disbelief as the fire spread. Although the fire was contained before reaching the main church building, it completely destroyed the mission house, which housed Adeleke and his family.
Evangelist Adeleke spoke to reporters, expressing his shock and grief: “It is as if I am in a dream. Nobody could have foreseen this. But we thank God that no lives were lost.”
Adeleke also shared the emotional toll the fire has taken on his family. “I don’t have any other clothes except the ones I’m wearing,” he said, pointing to the few items he had left. “My wardrobe is empty. My certificates, my wife’s, my children’s—all gone. Everything we had has been lost.”
The fire devastated the mission house and nearby structures, including the children’s church and the area where Adeleke’s family lived.
“At the moment, I have no place to stay,” Adeleke continued. “The fire has taken everything.”
Despite the heartbreaking losses, there were no casualties. The quick action of local fire services prevented further damage.
Revd. Akinyemi Akinyinka, the General Manager of Oyo State Fire Services, confirmed the incident. “We received a distress call at exactly 9:50 PM on Friday, December 13th,” he said. “Upon arrival, we found the mission house fully engulfed in flames. We immediately took action to prevent the fire from spreading to the main church building, where the carol service was being held.”
Akinyinka praised the fire crew for their swift response. “The fire was confined to the mission house. We managed to save the main church building and other nearby structures,” he explained. “Although property worth millions of naira was lost, we were able to protect valuables worth billions of naira.”
Firefighters, who worked tirelessly through the night, also saved many items from the nearby buildings, ensuring that the damage was kept to a minimum.
A preliminary investigation into the fire suggests that it may have been caused by children playing with fire in the mission house. Akinyinka noted that eyewitnesses mentioned children were in the area and may have been responsible for starting the blaze.
“We cannot say for certain at this time what caused the fire, but it’s possible that the children were playing with open flames and it got out of control,” Akinyinka said.
As the investigation continues, the local community and church members are rallying around the Adeleke family, offering support in their time of loss.
“It’s difficult to explain the emotions we are feeling right now,” said one church member. “But we are grateful that no one was hurt. We will rebuild together, and we trust God to restore everything that was lost.”
The fire has raised concerns about safety during church events, particularly during large gatherings like carol services. Local authorities are urging religious organizations to review safety protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The fire has left a deep scar on the Adeleke family, but they remain hopeful. “We believe that God will provide for us,” Evangelist Adeleke said, his voice trembling with emotion. “This is just a setback. We will rebuild and move forward.”
