Benin: nine severe injuries and significant damage in a fire related to adulterated fuel in Banikoara
A violent fire broke out in the Orougnorou neighborhood, in the municipality of Banikoara. The toll reports nine people severely burned and significant material damage, although there have been no deaths.
The blaze ravaged a structure of about 20 m² divided into five rooms, housing two shops, two residential apartments, and a space used as a clandestine warehouse for adulterated fuel drums.
The nine victims, suffering from first, second, and third-degree burns, were urgently evacuated to health centers before rescue teams were deployed.
In terms of material loss, the damages are considerable: a large quantity of food items, various goods, and a motorcycle were completely destroyed by the flames.
Mobilization of Rescue Services and Warning from the ABPC
To contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby homes, the Municipal Civil Protection Center (CCPC) of Banikoara intervened quickly. In light of the intensity of the flames, significant reinforcements were sent under the leadership of Captain-Major Babalola Sosthène, head of the Departmental Civil Protection Unit of Alibori, supported by the staff of the CCPC of Malanville.
Although the exact cause of the blaze remains to be determined by the investigation, the presence of smuggled fuel within a residential building directly points to the responsibility of the illegal storage of flammable substances.
The Beninese Agency for Civil Protection (ABPC) has reiterated its warning, reminding that a deposit of adulterated fuel near a home poses a deadly danger not only to its operators but also to their families and the entire neighborhood.
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