By The Insect Reference Collection and Identification Laboratory, located on the top floor of the Department of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology (CPEB) at the University of Ibadan, was engulfed in flames following a fire outbreak on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 7.
According to multiple sources who spoke with AfrikTimes, the fire reportedly originated from a newly repaired air conditioning unit within the laboratory.
It was gathered that thick smoke from the affected laboratory billowed downward, spreading on the two floors below and causing widespread panic within the building.
However, sources confirmed that while the smoke affected lower floors, no significant physical damage was recorded in those areas, as the destruction was largely confined to the museum and the items housed within it.
While speaking exclusively with AfrikTimes, the Head of Department, Prof. Moroufat Balogun, confirmed that although a comprehensive assessment is still ongoing, the loss of critical archival materials has already been established
“The affected facility commonly known as the Insect museum, unfortunately, has the largest collection of insects in Sub-saharan Africa,” she said.
According to her, more than 20 vital catalogues used for the identification and classification of insect specimens were severely affected.
“The catalogue, some of them are already gone. Like, maybe 20 to 25% of the catalogue,” she said.
AfrikTimes further learnt that although some insect specimens were salvaged from the fire, the destruction of the cataloguing data poses a major setback to both ongoing and future research activities within the department.
Prof. Balogun also disclosed that several physical structures and laboratory equipment sustained damage in the incident.
“Yes, they were affected. The air conditioners, some of the fans, the ceiling, the walls, microscopes, and some tiles. The UI honey processing room was a little bit affected, and a part of the lecture room,” she added.
In addition, evidence obtained by AfrikTimes indicated that a number of insect exhibits were damaged during the outbreak.
To prevent further damage or security breaches, it was gathered that the department has since put immediate security measures in place to safeguard the affected area.
Upon a follow-up visit on Wednesday, April 8, it was observed that some of the burnt materials and shattered glass had been cleared and packed,
AfrikTimes also reached out to the University of Ibadan’s Public Relations Officer for an official statement, as well as details on steps being taken by the management to initiate repairs on the affected facility. The PRO, however, stated that she would “revert back” with a response.
As of press time, no casualties or injuries have been reported. AfrikTimes will continue to observe the trend as the department management continues the process of assessing losses and documenting what remains of its globally recognised insect collection.
