Fire Razes Popular Church

A Cherubim and Seraphim Church known as Irapada Kristi on Eleye Street in Akure, Ondo State, has been razed by a fire that broke out in the early hours of Wednesday, leaving the worship centre in ruins and destroying valuables estimated to be worth millions of naira.

The incident occurred at about 2:00 a.m., throwing residents of the area into confusion as flames engulfed the church building. The fire spread rapidly through the structure, drawing the attention of neighbours who rushed out of their homes after noticing the blaze.

According to residents, the fire appeared to have started from the middle section of the church before moving swiftly to other parts of the building. Within a short period, the flames had consumed the entire structure, leaving little that could be salvaged.

As the fire intensified, people living around the church made frantic efforts to contain it. Residents fetched water in buckets and poured it on the burning building in an attempt to stop the flames from spreading to nearby properties. Despite their efforts, the fire continued to rage, making it impossible for them to bring the situation under control.

The church’s prophetess, popularly known as Iya Ewe, expressed sadness over the destruction caused by the incident. She said she was still unable to explain what might have triggered the fire, noting that she had left the church after activities on Sunday and had not left behind any source of open fire that could have caused the outbreak.

She also ruled out the possibility of an electrical problem, explaining that the church’s electrical system had been in use for many years without any record of a similar incident.

The fire destroyed furniture, worship materials and other church property, leaving the congregation to count its losses. The extent of the damage has raised concerns among members and residents of the community.

While the cause of the fire remains unknown, the church leader expressed suspicion that the incident might not have been accidental. She said the manner in which the flames spread across the building suggested that a highly flammable substance may have been involved.

The prophetess further stated that the pattern of destruction left her with the belief that the church could have been deliberately set on fire, although no evidence had been presented to support the claim.

As of the time of filing this report, the exact cause of the fire had not been determined, and no official statement had been issued by emergency authorities regarding the incident. Investigations are expected to establish what led to the outbreak and whether foul play was involved.