EXCLUSIVE : How Alumni Hall Fire Incident Happened

By John Beloved & Uthman Samad

Exclusive: How Alumni Hall Inferno Happened 

Last Tuesday night was a sad memory for the occupants of  Block 4 room201 of alumni Hall of residence of the Obafemi Awolowo university ile ife as the room was razed to ashes through the use cooking cylinder Gas.

The inferno caused the students occupying the room their belongings and valuable items including their mobile phones.

One of the victims of the fire razed room of Alumni Hall of residence has revealed to OAU Peeps that they have been asked to pay two hundred thousand Naira each as damage cost, OAU Peeps can report.

Faith,  one of the affected student and an occupant of the room mentioned that members of the room have be asked to pay N200,000 each for the damage caused by the fire outbreak in alumni hall.

Speaking as a member of this room, she told OAU peeps that although new bed spaces were not  provided for either of them, they have been generally required to pay for the damage cost.

In her words, "I haven't seen any of my roommates since the accident. It is like we are actually scattered. some went off campus, some now stay with their parents while others had to go home"

She added that "There is actually no provision for a new bed space for any" of them.

"The hall warden and porters said we will pay #200,000 each even though it was just lend that was cooking"

Faith said the management of the hall established the fact "we are members of the room so we have to pay on that mandate although they are yet to demand for the money, but when they do, we would have to call our parents to fight for us"

While been quizzed about how life has been after the incident, she said "I've been trying to move on, well I can't because of the incident I have to stop attending my classes.
I still have some of my books and foodstuffs but some of my roommates lost everything including their certificates"

The inferno had cost the students most of their valuables such as certificates, books, phones,clothes,foodstuffs and the likes.



How It Happened
OAU Peeps News Agency learnt that a lady named Kemi, A part 1 economics student, an occupant of the room was turning Amala using camping Gas cooker.

Kemi  was turning the Amala right on the cooker while the burner was turning with it without putting it down for proper staring. 

With this, as the burner was moving with the pot, the gas was leaking without her taking the notice and the gas exploded.

Kemi ran out of the room go look for an object to quench the fire.  She ran down from her block to other blocks.

On her verge to get fire extinguisher to quench the fire, Kemi had to run down to a nearby male hostel, Awolowo hall of residence.
On getting down to Her hostel,  the fire has extended out of what a fire extinguisher can quench.

OAU Peeps learnt that  it was through the help of the fire service  that later came to set things right.


Alumni Hall Warden Fumes
While on a phone conversation  to getting the reaction of the hall warden, Mrs Ezebudey Titilayo insisted that the story be kept internal and basically within the jurisdiction of the school management.

"I don't think we need any news about what happen here. We don't need any news to be spread, It is an internal problem and we have handled it, we don't want the world to hear about it" she said angrily.

"The incidence is not beyond what can be controlled, So I don't think that it is your business, It is the business of the school management" she added.

"The students are under their care and so they have the responsibility of taking care of the student.

"We will not appreciate it if you publicise anything about the incident
Please don't do that for your own interest please" she threatened.




OAU Dean of DSA debunks Payment of Fine, Assures Renovation of the Room. 
Meanwhile, in a telephone conversation with our correspondent on Thursday, the Dean of the Division of  Students' Affairs, Isiaka Aransi, assured that a renovation exercise will commence in the affected room very soon.

In his words, "Any moment from now, everything will be sorted out and the students will be back in their rooms.

It was only one room but it was burnt beyond repairs. We will start the renovation from the roof of the affected room and it will come very soon."

Prof. Aransi also debunked the rumour the affected students paying fine.

"We have not told any student that they will pay any money. Under normal circumstances, it is students, who are supposed to do that (the renovation) but considering the circumstances, it is expedient to do something to assist our students," He stated.

OAU Peeps Observes, Students Clamour for Fire Extinguisher. 
In a survey carried out by OAU Peeps News Agency, in the affected hall of  residence, there's a clear fact that there is no enough Fire extinguishers in the hall of residence. The available ones are empty.  This made the 'kemi' to run right from Alumni down to Awolowo Hall of residence.

Students have however clamoured for the provision of fire extinguishers in all Halls Of Residence.