Fire has gutted a two-storey building housing 25 shops and 44 rooms at Alhaji Haruna Kannike Shopping Complex at the Ipata market, Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, destroying property worth millions of Naira in 22 of the 44 rooms, while 22 other rooms and all the 25 shops were successfully saved by the firefighters.
A statement by the spokesman of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, said: “Preliminary investigations revealed that parts of Ilorin had experienced a power outage lasting nearly five days. Shortly after electricity was restored by IBEDC, a power surge occurred, igniting the fire on the upper floor.
“Federal Fire Service personnel also joined the operation, assisting in extinguishing the inferno—a testament to the strong synergy between the two agencies.
“The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade John, urged the public to unplug electrical appliances when not in use and emphasized the importance of adopting safety measures to prevent fire outbreaks.”