Late Night Fire Affects Two Apartments in Ilorin

A fire at midnight caused damage to two self-contained apartments in a building near Metropolitan Square, off Asa-Dam Road, Ilorin, Kwara State.

The Kwara State Fire Service shared this news in a statement on Saturday. The statement was made by their Public Relations Officer, Hassan Adekunle, and our correspondent got a copy in Ilorin.

Hassan mentioned that firefighters acted quickly to stop the fire from spreading to other apartments and a nearby building.

He said, "The agency received a distress call at about 2:27 a.m. Firefighters arrived at the scene at 2:35 a.m. and brought the fire under control by about 2:40 a.m."

Hassan explained that the building had eight self-contained apartments and a storey building with four-bedroom flats. He said the fire only affected two of the self-contained apartments, while the others and the storey building were saved.

"Firefighters arrived at the scene at 02:35hrs and swiftly commenced firefighting operations. Through their prompt and professional response, the fire was successfully brought under control at about 02:40hrs, thereby preventing further destruction," Hassan noted.

The fire service said preliminary investigations showed that a power surge caused the fire by igniting materials inside the affected apartments.

After the incident, the Chief Fire Officer of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, urged residents to focus on electrical safety to prevent similar fires.

He said, "Residents should install surge protection devices and use only standard electrical fittings in their homes. Property owners should also carry out regular inspections and maintenance of electrical wiring and avoid overloading electrical outlets."

Muhammed also advised people to call the fire service quickly when a fire breaks out, stressing that early reporting can save lives and property.

He promised that the Kwara State Fire Service is dedicated to protecting lives and property through quick emergency responses, professionalism, and ongoing public fire safety awareness.

This recent incident happened just five days after another fire caused by a power surge in a 14-room residential building in Ilorin on July 20. Firefighters managed to contain that fire as well, and the fire service linked it to an electrical surge.