Fire destroys 24 shops at Ilorin ultra-modern market

A fire outbreak has destroyed at least 24 shops at the Mandate Ultra-Modern Market in Ilorin, with preliminary investigations pointing to a power surge as the cause of the early morning blaze.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Tuesday in a section of the market housing over 200 shops, starting in a store dealing in phone accessories and charging services before spreading to neighbouring outlets stocked with foodstuffs and other commodities.

The Kwara State Fire Service received a distress call at about 4:44 a.m. and immediately mobilised to the scene.

The agency’s spokesperson, Hassan Adekunle, said the scale of destruction was worsened by the delay in alerting firefighters.

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“The magnitude of destruction was largely intensified due to the late call made to the Fire Service,” he said. He nonetheless commended the response team for containing the blaze.

“The gallant firefighters of the Kwara State Fire Service displayed exceptional courage and professionalism in combating the inferno and successfully averted further destruction across the market,” he added.

Some traders and market stakeholders praised the firefighters for their intervention, saying the prompt response upon arrival helped prevent a larger portion of the market from being consumed.

The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, later visited the scene to sympathise with affected traders and market leaders.

“I am deeply saddened by this incident, and I assure you of the Fire Service’s continued support,” he said.

Muhammed urged shop owners to install fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, fire alarms and electrical protection devices to reduce the risk of future outbreaks.

The incident is the latest in a series of fire outbreaks recorded in Kwara State in recent weeks, following a fire at a residential building in Omu-Aran involving a gas cylinder and another that damaged a mixed-use building in Ilorin earlier this month.