Christmas tragedy as medical doctor dies in inferno

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.
Our correspondent 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.