A 150 MVA transformer and cables were, on Wednesday, gutted by fire at the Ayede sub-station of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Ibadan.
Eyewitnesses told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the fire started at about 6:15 am., with distress calls made to firefighters at around 7:20 am.
NAN reports that firefighters from the Oyo State Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, and some corporate organizations in the state such as CBN, Zartech and Sweetco, all responded to the distress calls.
NAN also reports that officials of the state chapter of the Nigeria Red Cross as well as the personnel of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were also on ground to provide support.
Speaking with NAN, Mr Ojo Olaleye, Secretary, Nigeria Red Cross Society, said although no life was lost, three persons, however, sustained minor injuries.
Olaleye said one of those who sustained injuries had abrasions on his body from leaning on a hot wall, adding that another suffered an injury in his leg, while the third had slight burns.
He, however, said that all of them were in stable condition.
An Engineer at the station, who did not want his name published, said that the fire was caused by an electric surge that resulted in a spark, which was escalated by the oil in the transformer.
He said that members of staff of the company made efforts to put out the fire, but had to call the fire service when their efforts proved.
The official said that the Ayede sub-station supplies power to Ibadan, Iseyin, Iwo, Saki, and Sagamu, adding that those communities might not have light until the transformer was replaced.
Also speaking, the Director of Fire Service, Oyo State, Mr Adewuyi Moshood, said that the highly inflammable oil content of the transformer was a challenge in promptly putting out the fire.
Moshood called on TCN to always install protective devices that would protect its transformers anytime it was over-worked.
NAN reports that the combined efforts of the firefighters led to the putting out of the fire around 10:30 am. (NAN)
