Swift intervention by men of Kwara State Fire Service and their counterparts from the Federal Fire Service on Saturday saved the multi- million naira property from destruction at the popular Ipata market in Ilorin, the state capital.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the fire incident that engulfed the Haruna Kannike Shopping Complex housing 25 shops and 44 rooms in Ipata market was caused by power surge.
LEADERSHIP gathered that 22 rooms were destroyed by the fire while the remaining 22 rooms and 25 shops were saved by the firemen.
Spokesman of the State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle confirmed that the fire incident occurred at about 1:10pm in Saturday.
“On Saturday, 14th December 2024, at 13:10 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service responded promptly to a distress call reporting a fire outbreak at Haruna Kannike Shopping Complex, Ipata Market, Ilorin, Kwara State.
“A fire truck and crew arrived swiftly at the scene to combat the blaze in the two-storey building housing 25 shops and 44 rooms. Upon arrival, the fire had already engulfed some rooms on the upper floor.
“Undeterred by the challenging situation, the gallant firefighters contained the blaze, extinguished it completely, and prevented it from spreading to other parts of the market. While 22 rooms were affected, 22 others and all 25 shops were successfully saved.
” 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 statement stated.
Meanwhile, the Director of Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade John had urged the public to unplug electrical appliances when not in use and emphasised the importance of adopting safety measures to prevent fire outbreaks.