A fire outbreak has affected 12 shops at a shopping complex in the Mandate Market area of Ilorin, Kwara State, with firefighters blaming the extent of the damage partly on a delayed distress call.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday opposite Alkad Filling Station, according to the Kwara State Fire Service.
The complex, which reportedly contains about 40 shops, was already engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at the scene.
The state Fire Service spokesperson, Hassan Adekunle, said the agency received the distress call at about 1:14am and deployed two fire appliances to tackle the blaze.
Personnel of the Federal Fire Service later joined the operation, helping to prevent the fire from spreading to other shops and nearby properties.
“Despite the prompt intervention of the firefighters, 12 shops were affected, largely due to the late notification of the incident,” Adekunle said.
Preliminary findings suggested that a power surge might have triggered the fire.
According to the Fire Service, some people sleeping near the shopping complex reported hearing a loud combustion sound shortly after electricity was restored.
The agency, however, said the exact cause of the fire remained subject to further investigation.
The incident comes against the backdrop of recurring fire outbreaks around Mandate Market.
In May, a separate fire affected 24 shops at the popular Ilorin market. The Fire Service said that incident was also suspected to have been caused by a power surge, with a delayed emergency call contributing to the extent of the damage.
In August, the agency also warned against encroachment on its fire station within Mandate Market, saying unauthorised structures and occupation could undermine emergency response.
The Fire Service had recalled that access to the affected section was difficult during the earlier market fire, warning that blocked routes could delay firefighters and allow flames to spread through tightly packed commercial areas.
The Chief Fire Officer, Alabi Muhammed, commended the state firefighters and their Federal Fire Service counterparts for their response to Saturday’s incident.
Muhammed urged traders and business owners to ensure that electrical installations were carried out by qualified professionals and that electrical appliances and power sources were properly monitored.
He also stressed the need for residents and business owners to report fire outbreaks immediately.
“Early notification gives firefighters a better opportunity to contain incidents before they escalate and cause extensive damage,” he said.
The latest incident came just two days after another fire outbreak in the Asa-Dam area of Ilorin.
That Thursday afternoon fire affected three bedrooms in a residential building behind the Industrial Training Fund. The Fire Service again suspected a power surge and said the blaze had gained significant ground before firefighters were alerted.
The agency said firefighters eventually contained the fire and prevented it from spreading to an adjoining block of apartments.
The repeated incidents have renewed calls for greater attention to electrical safety in homes and commercial premises across the state.
The Fire Service urged residents and business owners to regularly inspect their electrical installations, use qualified technicians and immediately alert emergency responders whenever smoke or flames are detected.
