A midnight fire caused by a power surge destroyed two room-and-parlour self-contained apartments in a residential building opposite Metropolitan Square, off Asa-Dam Road in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The Kwara State Fire Service confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Saturday by its Public Relations Officer, Hassan Adekunle.
According to the statement, the agency received a distress call at about 2:27 a.m., and firefighters arrived at the scene eight minutes later. The fire was brought under control within minutes, preventing it from spreading to other apartments and a nearby building.
The affected property consists of eight room-and-parlour self-contained apartments and an adjoining two-storey building with four-bedroom flats.
The fire service said only two of the self-contained apartments were damaged, while the remaining apartments and the neighbouring building were successfully protected.
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Preliminary investigations showed that the fire was caused by a power surge, which ignited combustible materials inside the affected apartments.
Reacting to the incident, the Chief Fire Officer of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, urged residents to pay closer attention to electrical safety.
He advised homeowners to install surge protectors, use quality electrical fittings, inspect their wiring regularly and avoid overloading electrical outlets.
Muhammed also encouraged residents to report fire outbreaks immediately, noting that early alerts help firefighters respond quickly and minimise damage.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Kwara State Fire Service to protecting lives and property through rapid emergency response, professionalism and continuous public awareness on fire safety.
The incident comes just five days after another power surge caused a fire in a 14-room residential building in Ilorin. Firefighters were also able to contain that blaze before it spread to nearby buildings.
