Fire Razes 14 Shops, Destroys N19.3m Property In Kwara

Two separate fire outbreaks in Ilorin, Kwara State on Tuesday and Wednesday ruined 14 shops while property estimated at N19.3m was destroyed in one of the incidents.

Tuesday’s incident happened around 5.50 pm at Zion Overcomer, Tanke area, Ilorin, where seven out of the 17 shops in the complex were razed while Wednesday’s incident occurred around 2.30 am at Tanke Oke-Odo along the University of Ilorin road where seven out of the 16 metal kiosks also were affected.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the two fire outbreaks were caused by a power surge.

The spokesman of Kwara Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed the two fire outbreaks in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement read:” Kwara State Fire Service doused an intense fire outbreak at Zion Overcomer, Opposite Duro Suleiman House, University Road Tanke area Ilorin. Ilorin South Local Government Kwara State.

“The Fire outbreak which was reported at about 17:50 hours on Tuesday, 12th December, 2023, was subdued by the firepower of the fire crews which did not allow it to spread beyond the seat of fire. Out of the 17 shops in the building seven shops were affected by the fire. There was however no record of casualty of any sort while the cause of the fire was attributed to a power surge. The total estimated property saved is N79.5m and the total estimated property lost is N19.3m.

“Also, in the early hours of Wednesday, December 13, 2023, at 01:30 hour, the Kwara State Fire Service promptly responded to a fire incident at University Road, Tanke Oke-Odo, Ilorin South Local Government Area, Kwara State.

“Upon arrival, our firefighters effectively extinguished the fire that engulfed 16 metal kiosks and affected 7 shops. The incident was as a result of a power surge.”