3 burnt to death as church caught fire in Ibadan

THREE persons, including a 92-year-old man, were burnt to death yesterday, when fire razed a church Mercyland Prayer Ministries at Idi Aro, Ibadan. Four others, including a pregnant woman, escaped death in the fire that started at 1:45am.
When Vanguard got to the scene, bodies of the burnt members of the church and a coffin were seen. What actually worsened the situation, according to residents in the area, were power generating sets which were filled with petrol.
Items burnt in the inferno are two power generating sets, two complete drum sets, ceiling fans, many sewing machines, plastic and wooden chairs.
According to one of the lucky survivors, Mrs. Oyediran, an expectant mother, the fire started when worshipers were sleeping. She said she tried to crawl outside, when a young man pulled her out. Demola, who rescued the woman, was quoted as saying that it was a herculean task pulling the pregnant woman out of thick smoke.
At the time of filing this report, the three corpses were yet to be evacuated from the church. The son of the 92 year-old man said he was only interested in retrieving the corpse of his father.
The Police had taken the pastor of the church, Pastor Samuel Oyediran and the man who rescued the pregnant woman to the station for interrogation. Speaking on the incident, Director, Oyo State Fire Services, Mr. Oyekunle Kareem, confirmed it saying around midnight, a distress call was made to them that “there was a fire incident at Alaro and we rushed there immediately. “We put out the fire, but three bodies were recovered. Only the doctor can certify them dead.”