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No fewer than 12 shops were affected by a fire that broke out at a shopping complex in the Mandate Market area of Ilorin, Kwara State, on Saturday.
The fire occurred opposite Alkad Filling Station and was reported at about 1:14 am, with the complex, which comprises 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 in Ilorin.
Adekunle said the fire service deployed two fire appliances to the scene after receiving the distress call, while personnel from the Federal Fire Service later joined the operation.
He said the combined effort prevented the fire from spreading to other shops and nearby properties.
“Despite the prompt intervention of the firefighters, 12 shops were affected, largely due to the late notification of the incident,” Adekunle stated.
He said preliminary findings suggested that a power surge might have triggered the fire.
According to him, 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,” Adekunle added.
The Chief Fire Officer, Alabi Muhammed, commended the firefighters and Federal Fire Service personnel for their prompt response and collaboration.
He urged business owners to ensure that electrical installations were handled by qualified professionals and advised them to regularly monitor electrical appliances and power sources.
Muhammed also stressed the importance of reporting fire outbreaks promptly, noting that early notification would give firefighters a better chance of containing fires before they spread and cause extensive damage.
The incident occurred two days after another fire affected a residential building behind the Industrial Training Fund in the Asa-Dam area of Ilorin.
The earlier fire affected three bedrooms in a building comprising three-bedroom flats and a room-and-parlour self-contained apartment.
The Fire Service said the blaze had spread significantly before firefighters arrived but was eventually contained, preventing it from spreading to an adjoining block of apartments.
A power surge was also suspected in the second incident, although the Fire Service said the cause had yet to be conclusively established.
The service urged residents and business owners to regularly inspect and maintain their electrical installations and promptly alert emergency responders whenever they notice a fire outbreak.
