* Seven shops, 16 rooms also affected
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
A truck reportedly overloaded with mattresses, as well as seven shops and 16 rooms in a building in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, have been gutted by fire, destroying property worth millions of naira.
A statement by Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, Head, Media and Publicity of the Kwara State Fire Service, said the fire spread to the building from a lorry that was overloaded with mattresses which had caught fire.
“The fire spread from the lorry to a nearby building containing 47 rooms and 19 shops. Undeterred by the intensity of the blaze, our courageous firefighters acted swiftly to contain the fire and prevent further destruction. Our efforts successfully saved 12 shops and 31 rooms, while 7 shops and 16 rooms were unfortunately affected.
“Investigations revealed that the fire originated from a lorry overloaded with mattresses. The lorry had collided with a high-tension wire, causing a spark that ignited the mattresses. Once the mattresses caught fire, the blaze spread rapidly from the lorry to the nearby building, which housed 47 rooms and 19 shops. The highly inflammable nature of the mattresses contributed to the swift spread of the fire.
“Additionally, the explosion of a nearby stepdown transformer intensified the situation, further aiding the rapid spread of the fire to the adjacent shops and rooms,” the statement said.
The Fire Service spokesman
acknowledged “the valuable assistance provided by the Federal Fire Service, who collaborated with us in extinguishing the fire and ensuring the safety of all involved. Their timely support played a crucial role in containing the blaze.
“We also express our gratitude to the Nigeria Police Force, who helped to protect our firefighters from the threat posed by hoodlums attempting to disrupt the operation. Their intervention ensured the safety and security of our personnel during a highly volatile situation. Additionally, we would like to thank the media houses for their timely notifications and real-time updates, which helped keep the public informed about the progress of the incident and the measures being taken to address it. Their role in disseminating accurate information was invaluable in managing the situation and preventing further panic.”