A major fire outbreak at Shril-Balaj Industrial Limited in Ibadan, Oyo State, has resulted in the destruction of property worth millions of naira. The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, July 20, affecting the factory’s recycling section, which housed large quantities of disused tyres.
According to the Oyo State Fire Service, the fire originated from an explosion in a running machine, which ignited flammable materials in the vicinity. The flames quickly spread through the recycling area before firefighters arrived to contain the blaze.
Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Hon. Maroof Akinwande, confirmed the report in a press statement issued on Sunday. He disclosed that the service received an emergency alert around 7:07 a.m. and immediately deployed teams to the scene.
“Our findings revealed that the explosion from the operating machine triggered the fire, which engulfed the tyre recycling section,” Akinwande stated. “Fortunately, our swift response ensured that other areas of the facility were protected from further damage.”
Although the full assessment of the financial impact is still ongoing, initial estimates suggest the factory suffered millions of naira in losses. No casualties have been reported as of the time of filing this report.
The incident highlights growing concerns around industrial safety standards in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector, particularly in facilities handling flammable or recyclable materials.