It was a sad Christmas morning for residents of Oke Ibukun Street, off Araromi, in Akure, Ondo State capital, who woke up to a raging fire that razed a clinic, Universal Medical Clinic (Specialist Children Clinic) and killing one Dr. David Oguntuase, said to be the owner of the clinic.

It was gathered that the fire began at 12.30 am on Thursday, but no one was able to determine the actual cause of the fire.


Sympathisers could not hold back their tears as they watched the remains of the doctor in the midst of the building, burnt beyond recognition.

It was learnt that the doctor worked as a Consultant Pediatrician at the Federal Medical Centre in Owo while he maintained the private clinic in Akure.

Some residents were said to have made frantic efforts to rescue the building, but their efforts to get the firemen to the scene failed, as none of the fire officers came to the scene in spite of the calls made to them.

A resident, Ajayi Olorunlogbon, explained that but for the efforts of neighbors around, the fire could have spread to other houses.

Officers of the Fire Service in the state could not be reached, but Police Public Relations Officer, Wole Ogodo, confirmed the incident, and said the state police command had begun an investigation into the cause of the fire.

He said, “The doctor was consumed in an inferno in his clinic and we have commenced our investigation, while his corpse had be taken to the morgue for autopsy.”

Ogodo added that the wife of the late doctor, Wuraola Oguntuase, came to report the incident at the A-Division Police Station in Akure.

Nigeria my Nigeria.