Fire Guts SCOAN Building During TB Joshua Candle Light Funeral

There was a fire outbreak in one of the buildings inside the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) headquarters in Lagos Monday night during the candlelight procession for the funeral ceremony of late prophet TB Joshua, the founder of the church.

The fire, which was noticed at about 11 p.m., affected a building that housed a store on the premises, some metres away from the church’s main auditorium, according to an eyewitness.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained but the witness, who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak, said it resulted from an electrical spark.

The fire outbreak, which occurred at the prayer mountain, caused pandemonium within the church as members who came to pay their last respects to the late Prophet were seen running into safe areas.

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As of midnight, the fire has been largely contained by a crowd of worshippers who were using containers to scoop water from near the church and dashing to douse the flames.

Attendance was strictly by invitation as some church members were not permitted to access the prayer mountain where the candlelight funeral held.

Those who got invite had to pull off their shoes and walked bare footed during the funeral service.

Officials of the Lagos State Fire Service arrived at about 12:15 a.m.

Mr Joshua’s weeklong funeral ceremony began on July 5 with a candlelight procession at the church’s prayer mountain in Ikotun, Lagos.

Other activities lined up for the ceremony include a tribute service on July 6 and 7, lying-in-state on July 8, laying to rest and internment on July 9, and a thanksgiving service on July 11

The popular televangelist died on June 5, according to his church, a few days before his 58th birthday.