A fire incident which occurred in the early hours of Monday, at number 158 Alaparun compound, Isale Alore, in the Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State has reportedly claimed the life of a 41-year-old man simply identified as Abdulfatai.
The fire incident according to reports engulfed a house comprised of 35 rooms in the area at about 2am on Monday.
The deceased, who was not a resident of the affected building, was said to have come from the Alate compound in the Abayawo area of Ilorin to spend the night with his friend when the incident occurred.
The Kwara State Fire Service which confirmed the incident in a statement by the head of Media and Publicity, Hassan Adekunle, said that about five rooms were completely destroyed in the fire mishap.
Adekunle said that the fire service was able to save 30 rooms from the 35-room apartment engulfed by fire.
“On Monday, December 9, 2024, at 02:07 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service promptly responded to a distress call reporting a fire outbreak at No. 158, Ile Alaparun Isale, Alore, Ilorin, Kwara State.
“A fire truck and its crew swiftly arrived at the scene to combat the blaze at a dwelling of about 35 rooms. Upon arrival, the fire had already engulfed some rooms, but the firefighters worked diligently to contain and extinguish the fire, preventing its spread to other areas. Ultimately, five rooms were affected, while 30 rooms were successfully saved”, the statement said.
“Tragically, the fire claimed the life of a 41-year-old man, identified as AbdulFatai from Ile Alate, Abayawo. He had come to spend the night at a friend’s residence but was unable to escape due to intense smoke, which rendered him unconscious”, the fire service further said.
Adekunle said that the body of the deceased man was handed over to his family by the fire service after the firefighting operation in the area.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was caused by spontaneous ignition in a room storing combustible materials, including petrol, batteries, and a tyre inflator engine,” the statement said.
The Director of the state fire service, Falade John, extended his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased and the Magaji of Ile Alaparun.
Falade also emphasised the critical importance of adhering to safety precautions to prevent fire hazards.
