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An inferno has gutted no fewer than 24 shops and destroyed goods at the Mandate Ultra-Modern Market in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, in the early hours of Tuesday.
The spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, in a statement, said firefighters received a distress call at about 4:44 a.m. on Tuesday and mobilised to the scene to contain the fire.
“The magnitude of destruction was largely intensified due to the late call made to the Fire Service, as the fire had already spread significantly before firefighters arrived at the scene,” he said.
“Nevertheless, the gallant firefighters of the Kwara State Fire Service displayed exceptional courage and professionalism in combating the inferno and successfully averted further destruction across the market.”
The fire service spokesperson added that preliminary investigations revealed that a power surge triggered the fire outbreak.
“The fire reportedly started in a shop where phone accessories were sold alongside a phone charging business, before spreading to nearby shops used for storing foodstuffs and other commodities,” he explained.
The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, during a visit to the market, sympathised with the traders and assured them of the agency’s support.
“I am deeply saddened by this incident, and I assure you of the Fire Service’s continued support,” said Muhammed.
“Market operators should invest in both active and passive fire safety measures, including the installation of fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, fire alarms, and proper electrical protection devices, especially in situations where shop owners may not be present during emergencies.”
The fire outbreak comes a day after a residential building in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area, was partially destroyed after children reportedly played with a cooking gas cylinder.
Another fire earlier in April destroyed parts of a building containing a two-bedroom flat and seven shops in Ilorin.
