Fire razes 14 shops in Kwara, N19.3m allegedly loss

No fewer than 14 shops were reportedly razed by fire in two incidents that occurred in the Tanke area of Ilorin in Ilorin South Local Government Area of Kwara State between Tuesday evening and the early hours of Wednesday.

At about 6 p.m. on Tuesday, seven shops at Zion Overcomer, Opposite Duro Suleiman house, University Road, Tanke, were reportedly burnt while the second incident also occurred at Tanke Oke-Odo area on University Road at about 1.30 a.m. on Wednesday, where another seven shops were destroyed by fire.

While confirming the incidents, the Kwara State Fire Service said that its men attended to the two fire incidents at different locations in the Tanke area and saved 16 out of the 31 shops engulfed by the raging fire.

The Head, Media and Publicity, Kwara State Fire Service, Mr. Hassan Adekunle, said the service “doused an intense fire outbreak on Tuesday, 12th December 2023 at Zion Overcomer, Opposite Duro Suleiman house, University Road, Tanke area Ilorin. Ilorin South Local Government Kwara State.

“The firefighting operations concluded at 18:11 hours. Out of the 17 shops in the building seven shops were affected by a burning fire, adding the total estimated property lost is N19.3 million while the total estimated property saved is N79.5 million.

“There was, however, no record of casualty of any sought.”

The statement added, “In the early hour of Wednesday, December 13, 2023, at approximately 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 seven shops.”

The fire service attributed the cause of the two incidents to be a result of a power surge in the area.

The Director of the state Fire Service, Falade Olumuyiwa, advised the general public to always be safety-conscious

He also urged them to always play safe especially during this period of harmattan and not to hesitate to call the fire brigade on time whenever there was any emergency in their areas, as this would save lives and properties of people in the state.