Residents of Festac Town were thrown into panic on Friday evening after a fire broke out at Block 5, I One Close, 5th Avenue, leaving two flats on the third floor badly damaged.
The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m., drawing a large crowd of neighbours who rushed to the scene as smoke poured out of the building. According to residents, the fire started in Flat 16, occupied by an elderly man who had been away for most of the day with his children. The flames later spread to the adjoining Flat 15 before help arrived.
Preliminary accounts from those at the scene suggest the fire was triggered by an electrical fault inside the apartment. By the time firefighters arrived units from both the Festac and Okota fire stations the flames had already caused significant destruction in the two affected flats, with household items and structural components heavily burnt.
Security personnel from the Festac Police Division, led by DPO CSO Bakare Ibrahim, were on ground to maintain order, prevent crowd interference, and ensure no secondary incidents occurred during the containment efforts.
The President of the Festac Town Residents Association (FTRA), Barr. Adesina Mohammed Adegbenro, also visited the scene with members of his executive to assess the damage and support affected residents.
Although no lives were lost, the destruction was extensive, leaving the families in the two flats counting their losses as the community rallied around them. The incident has once again reignited conversations around electrical safety and fire preparedness within residential blocks in Amuwo Odofin, especially as the festive season approaches.