Two separate fire incidents in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Friday and Saturday, completely razed a yam flour factory and a printing press.
The first fire outbreak occurred at Kunzol Multi-Sector Nigeria Limited in the Kilanko–Agbonka area of Ilorin South Local Government Area at about 11 pm on Friday, while the other occurred at Unik AJ Prints, located along Opomalu Road in Ilorin East Local Government Area.
The spokesman of the State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, who confirmed the two fire outbreaks in separate statements on Saturday, stated that the yam flour and garri factory suffered extensive damage, as the blaze engulfed the entire factory area.
He said that a preliminary investigation revealed the fire was triggered by remnants of an unquenched fire, which ignited combustible materials in proximity, leading to a rapid escalation.
Adekunle said the fire outbreak at Unik AJ Prints, which happened at about 3:15 pm on Saturday, involved a storey building housing two large halls, all of which were affected by the fire, including printing machines and other production materials.
“Firefighters arrived promptly and worked rigorously under challenging early-morning conditions to contain the blaze.
Their swift and determined efforts successfully prevented the fire from spreading to adjoining structures, averting further damage in the densely built area.
“Preliminary findings indicated that the fire was suspected to have been caused by a spark from the inverter system, which subsequently ignited nearby combustible materials,” he added.
