The inferno destroyed no fewer than 5,000 card readers meant for the Oct. 10 governorship election  in Ondo State.

The fire which started around 7.30pm razed the large container housing the card readers.

Men of the Ondo  State fire service, who arrived the scene shortly after the fire started,  were helpless as their fire fighting truck refused to work.

Prof. Festus Okoye, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, said that some of the damaged card readers were brought in from the neighbouring Osun State.

Okoye, who expressed shock at the incident, which he described as a setback,  however, said that it would not affect the conduct of the governorship election.

He, however, said that investigation would be carried out to ascertain the cause of the incident.