Investigations have revealed that the fire incident in Ilorin, Kwara state on Tuesday was triggered by a lorry overloaded with mattresses after it collided with a high-tension wire causing a spark that ignited the mattresses.
The mattresses caught fire which rapidly spread from the lorry to the nearby building housing 47 rooms and 19 shops.
The fire incident occurred at 10.16 hours, at Ile-Bilewu, Alabi-Owo junction, Ita-Amodu area of the Ilorin metropolis.
According to the spokesman of the state fire service, Hassan Adekunle, in Ilorin on Tuesday, “the flammable nature of the mattresses contributed to the swift spread of the fire.
“Additionally, the explosion of a nearby step-down transformer escalated the situation further aiding the rapid spread of the fire to the adjacent shops and rooms.”
The fire crew promptly mobilized to address the emergency, he added.
Hassan said upon arrival, “We encountered a massive inferno originating from a lorry overloaded with mattresses. The fire spread from the lorry to a nearby building containing 47 rooms and 19 shops.
” Undeterred by the intensity of the blaze, our courageous firefighters acted swiftly to contain the fire and prevent further destruction.
“Our efforts successfully saved 12 shops and 31 rooms, while 7 shops and 16 rooms were unfortunately affected.
Reacting, Prince Falade John, Director of the Kwara Fire Service, emphasized the critical importance of prioritizing safety to prevent such incidents in the future.
Lorry overloaded with mattresses caused Ilorin fire disaster – State govt
