Family Escapes Fire in Ilorin, Kwara

A newborn baby and their parents escaped death when a fire destroyed their apartment and affected several buildings and businesses in Oloje Phase 2, Ilorin, Kwara State, early Tuesday morning.

Community members rescued the family after the fire damaged their room-and-parlour self-contained apartment.

The fire also completely burnt one vehicle, destroyed a vulcanising workshop, and affected two other residential buildings along with a travel and tours office nearby.

The Kwara State Fire Service confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday. Public Relations Officer Hassan Adekunle said they received a distress call and responded to the emergency at 2:41 am on Lawyer Lambo Street in Ilorin West Local Government Area.

The statement explained, “The incident involved two buildings with four-bedroom flats each and a third building with a room-and-parlour self-contained apartment. The room-and-parlour self-contained apartment was severely affected by the fire. Fortunately, the occupants, who had recently welcomed a newborn baby, were rescued by members of the community.”

In one of the flats, there were three vehicles when the fire broke out. Firefighters managed to save two of the vehicles, but one was completely destroyed.

“One of the vehicles was completely burnt, while our gallant firefighters successfully saved the remaining two vehicles from the fire. The second four-bedroom flat also sustained damage, especially in the kitchen, where electrical appliances, including a freezer, were affected. The building’s solar power generation system was also damaged,” the agency said.

The fire service noted that the travel and tours office nearby was affected as well. Its solar power system, four tubular batteries, and other electrical appliances were damaged.

A vulcanising workshop was also destroyed after a high-tension transmission line fell on it.

About how the fire started, the agency explained, “Preliminary findings indicate that the incident resulted from the collapse of a concrete pole supporting a 33kV electricity transmission line. The fallen line also landed on the vehicle that was burnt, and a spark reportedly ignited its tyre before the fire escalated quickly.”

The fire service added that the fallen transmission line was another danger for firefighters responding to the emergency. They contacted the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company control room for assistance.

“Given the electrical hazard posed by the fallen transmission line, the Kwara State Fire Service contacted the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) control room and requested the shutdown of the feeder supplying electricity to the affected area. This measure was necessary to create a safer environment for our firefighters to operate and manage the emergency effectively,” the statement said.

The Chief Fire Officer, Alabi Muhammed, expressed sympathy for the residents, property owners, and business operators who suffered losses in the incident. He urged people to avoid building structures under high-tension electricity transmission lines to prevent dangers.

He also advised property developers and residents to follow safety regulations around electricity infrastructure. “The Chief Fire Officer emphasised that keeping a safe distance from transmission lines is essential to reducing the risk of electrical accidents, fire outbreaks and damage to lives and property.”

He urged residents to report fallen poles, damaged electrical infrastructure, and exposed transmission lines immediately to the relevant authorities. He also warned against touching fallen wires or anything in contact with them.

The fire service praised the community members who helped rescue the occupants of the affected apartment. They highlighted the need for cooperation between residents and emergency responders during emergencies.

This incident happened less than 24 hours after another fire destroyed a building with three-bedroom flats in Kangile Village, Ilorin South Local Government Area, on Monday.