A fire that destroyed the Household of David church auditorium on Surulere Street, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja Local Government Area, Lagos State, has cost the congregation millions of naira. The church structure was completely destroyed.
There was information that the incident transpired around 10:00 am on Wednesday.
In a telephone interview with a correspondent, Amodu Shakiri, a spokesperson for the Lagos State Fire Service, confirmed the incident and explained that the auditorium ceiling of the church had collapsed and caught fire due to excessive heat.
The relevant agencies present at the scene, according to him, were the Alausa and Ikeja Fire Stations of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASAMBUS, LASEMA, and the Red Cross.
Shakiri described the auditorium and the church’s furnishings as among the damaged property caused by the fire.
He stated, “However, the fire was contained to the auditorium of the church, where it originated, while adjacent properties were salvaged.” The Red Cross, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Alausa and Ikeja fire stations, and LASAMBUS were among the pertinent organizations that were engaged in the incident. Furthermore, the assets that were consumed in the fire damage comprised the auditorium as well as church hold items.
Olusola Osunmakinde, senior pastor of Household of David, responded to the calamity in an Instagram video by writing, “It is a painful experience.”
Osunmakinde claims that a bystander mocked him by questioning, “Where was Jesus during this incident?”
He reported that every piece of church equipment, including air conditioners and chairs, had been destroyed by fire.
He stated, "As everyone is aware, the ‘Mercy Conference’ begins today; however, there has been an incident that I would like to bring to everyone’s attention. All was well when I arrived this morning; everyone was in the process of setting up. We began to hear abruptly that there was a fire and something else occurring on the church’s rooftop. I am aware that there will be reactions and that individuals will say various things, but that is currently not an issue for me.
“Above all, we express our gratitude to God that no lives were lost, and we express our thanks for everything.” We remain optimistic and have faith in God that the conference will proceed as planned.
“Without a doubt, it is a traumatic experience; jeers greeted one another as they entered the compound, asking, ‘Where is Jesus when this happened?’” No one owes us an answer; all we know is that everything functions in unison. “Despite this, we will not retreat; rather, through God’s grace, everything will work together for our good.”