Fire Destroys 12 Shops In Kwara

No fewer than 12 shops have been affected by a fire that razed part of a shopping complex in the Mandate Market area of Ilorin, Kwara State.

The incident occurred at about 1:14am on Saturday opposite Alkad Filling Station, with the complex, which houses about 40 shops, already engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.

The spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Ilorin.

Adekunle said two fire appliances were immediately deployed to the scene following a distress call, while personnel of the Federal Fire Service later joined the operation to prevent the fire from spreading to other shops and nearby properties.

He attributed the extent of the damage to the late notification of the incident.

“Despite the prompt intervention of the firefighters, 12 shops were affected, largely due to the late notification of the incident,” Adekunle stated.

The fire service spokesperson said preliminary findings suggested that a power surge might have triggered the blaze.

He explained that some people sleeping near the shopping complex reported hearing a loud combustion sound shortly after electricity was restored.

“The exact cause of the incident remains subject to further investigation,” he added.

The Chief Fire Officer, Alabi Muhammed, commended the firefighters and personnel of the Federal Fire Service for their response and collaboration.

Muhammed urged business owners to ensure that electrical installations were carried out by qualified professionals and that electrical appliances and power sources were regularly monitored.

He also called for prompt reporting of fire outbreaks, noting that early intervention could prevent incidents from escalating.

“Early notification gives firefighters a better opportunity to contain incidents before they escalate and cause extensive damage,” Muhammed said.

The incident came two days after another fire outbreak affected a residential building behind the Industrial Training Fund in the Asa-Dam area of Ilorin.

The Thursday incident damaged three bedrooms in a building comprising three-bedroom flats and a room-and-parlour self-contained apartment.

According to the Fire Service, the blaze had spread significantly before firefighters arrived but was eventually contained, preventing it from reaching an adjoining block of apartments.

A power surge was also suspected to have caused the second fire, although the Fire Service said investigations were still ongoing to establish the exact cause.

The service advised residents and business owners to regularly inspect and maintain their electrical installations and promptly contact emergency responders whenever they notice a fire outbreak.

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