Fire guts 24 shops at Mandate market in Ilorin

By Ahmed Olayinka

A fire outbreak in the early hours of Tuesday razed 24 shops at the popular Mandate Market in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, destroying goods and property worth millions of naira.

The incident, according to the Kwara State Fire Service, occurred at about 4:44 a.m. and affected a section of the market comprising over 200 shops.

In a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the agency, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, the fire service said the inferno had already spread extensively before emergency responders were alerted.

“The magnitude of destruction was largely intensified due to the late call made to the Fire Service, as the fire had already spread significantly before firefighters arrived at the scene,” the statement said.

Despite the situation, firefighters were able to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the market.

“The gallant firefighters displayed exceptional courage and professionalism in combating the inferno and successfully averted further destruction across the market,” the agency added.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was caused by a power surge.

According to the fire service, the incident reportedly started in a shop where phone accessories were sold alongside a phone charging business before spreading to nearby shops used for storing foodstuffs and other goods.

Traders and market stakeholders reportedly commended the efforts of the firefighters for their swift intervention, noting that their actions prevented the fire from engulfing the entire market.

The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, CFS Alabi Muhammed, later visited the scene at about 10:00 a.m. to sympathise with affected traders and inspect the level of damage caused by the incident.

During the visit, he met with leaders of the market associations and reassured them of the agency’s continued support.

He also advised traders and market operators to adopt proactive fire safety measures, including the installation of fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, sprinklers, fire alarm systems, and electrical protection devices.

Alabi further urged market leaders and traders to actively participate in the annual fire safety sensitisation programmes organised by the Kwara State Fire Service across markets in the state.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property while advocating increased awareness on fire prevention measures across Kwara State.