A devastating fire outbreak on Tuesday afternoon razed a 10-room residential building in Ilorin, Kwara State, leaving occupants displaced and properties destroyed.
The incident occurred at about 1:09 p.m. at Aata Compound, Ose Olorun Street, off Asa-Dam Road, throwing residents into panic as flames rapidly engulfed the structure.
According to the Kwara State Fire Service, the entire building had already been consumed by fire before emergency responders arrived at the scene. The agency’s spokesperson, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed that all rooms in the residential structure were affected by the blaze.
Preliminary findings indicate that the fire was triggered by an electrical fault linked to unstable power supply. Authorities explained that repeated power fluctuations caused a surge, which ignited materials in one of the rooms that had been locked for a long time.
Eyewitness accounts and official statements further revealed that delayed reporting significantly worsened the situation. Residents and sympathisers reportedly attempted to extinguish the fire themselves for over an hour before contacting the fire service, allowing the flames to spread uncontrollably.
Despite the late alert, firefighters were able to contain the blaze upon arrival, preventing it from spreading to nearby buildings in the densely populated neighbourhood.
Reacting to the incident, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, urged the public to promptly report fire outbreaks rather than relying on prolonged self-help efforts. He also emphasized the need for preventive safety measures, including proper electrical maintenance, switching off unused appliances, and installing surge protectors.
The latest incident adds to a growing number of fire outbreaks recorded in Kwara State in recent weeks, raising concerns about electrical safety and emergency response awareness among residents.


