At Ile Olola Compound, Essa Junction along Olofa Way, Offa Local Government of Kwara State, a building with four bedrooms and 10 stores was completely destroyed by fire on Thursday.

According to reports, the fire incident happened at about 01:30 am and destroyed N39.6 million worth of property.

Hassan Adekunle, the Kwara State Fire Service’s spokesperson, said that a distress call from Ilorin indicated that “a fire incident at Ile Olola Compound, Essa junction along Olofa way, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State.”

The spokesperson said that Mr. Habeeb informed the authorities of the fire incident and firefighters quickly arrived at the reported site after quickly responding to the emergency call. The fire ravaged a building with four beds and ten shops.

Adekunle claimed that the firefighters on the site exhibited incredible proficiency and effectiveness, using their skills to control the fire and stop it from spreading to nearby structures.

According to Hassan, by their quick action and deliberate firefighting techniques, they successfully minimised the fire’s threat, protecting neighbouring buildings from further harm.

Initial investigations suggested that a power surge started the fire, which sparked the blaze within the structure.

However, the impact of the fire was lessened due to the firefighters’ quick action, but the building sustained significant damage nonetheless.

Out of the four bedrooms and 10 shops, only the four bedrooms and three shops suffered major damage, rendering some areas of the building hazardous for habitation.

Prince Falade John Olumuyiwa, the director of the Kwara State Fire Service, advised residents and property owners in the state to install and regularly maintain the necessary fire safety measures, such as surge protectors, circuit breakers, and fire extinguishers, in order to prevent similar incidents in the future.

He added that spreading knowledge of the state’s fire safety regulations can help to stop such incidents from happening.