Power surge triggers fire at Ilorin laundry shop, residents escape unhurt

By Ahmed Olayinka

A fire outbreak believed to have been triggered by an electrical power surge razed a laundry shop attached to a residential building in the Tanke area of Ilorin, Kwara State, in the early hours of Tuesday, while residents escaped without injury, THE PRIME NEWS reports.

The incident occurred at about 3:58 a.m. at Assu-Luxury Quarters, off University Road, prompting an immediate response from personnel of the Kwara State Fire Service, who swiftly contained the blaze before it could spread to the residential apartments and neighbouring buildings.

The Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed the incident in a statement, explaining that the affected property comprised an eight-room residential building with an attached laundry shop.

According to him, only the laundry section was destroyed by the fire, while the residential apartments were saved through the prompt intervention of firefighters.

“The incident involved a building comprising eight rooms and a laundry shop, where only the laundry shop was affected by the fire. Firefighters quickly mobilised to the scene and successfully brought the fire under control by 4:25 a.m., preventing it from spreading to the residential apartments and nearby properties,” he said.

Adekunle added that the emergency crew completed the operation and departed the scene at about 4:42 a.m.

Preliminary investigations by the Fire Service indicate that the blaze may have resulted from an electrical power surge, possibly caused by a pressing iron that had been left switched on for an extended period. He, however, noted that investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident.

Reacting to the fire, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, urged business owners, particularly operators of laundry services, to observe proper electrical safety measures.

He advised users to switch off electrical appliances immediately after use and avoid leaving them unattended while connected to power.

Muhammed also recommended regular inspection of electrical installations, the use of certified electrical appliances and the installation of surge protection devices to minimise the risk of fire outbreaks.

He reaffirmed the Fire Service’s commitment to protecting lives and property through prompt emergency response and continuous public sensitisation on fire prevention and safety.