By Safiu Kehinde
Tragedy struck in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital on Monday as a fire incident left 120 persons homeless after destroying 44 Rooms of a building and a mosque.
The fire had occurred at at Megida Onikanhun Compound, Edun Isale, Ilorin South Local Government. Details of the incident were contained in a statement signed by the Head of Department of Media and Publicity of the fire department, Hassan Adekunle, on Monday in Ilorin.
It said that on Jan. 15, 2024, around 11:08 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service responded to a fire at Megida Onikanhun Compound, Edun Isale, Ilorin South Local Government.
“Fire fighters, upon arrival, found the entire compound and Edun Market engulfed in flames due to a late call.
“To enhance firefighting efforts, part of the fence was dismantled for better access.
“At 11:22 am, an SMS message was sent to the Brigade Headquarters for additional manpower, and the proficient firefighters successfully brought the situation under control within an hour before completely extinguishing the fire.
“Investigations revealed that an unknown person set some refuse on fire but this unfortunately spread to the nearby compound,” it added.
Adekunle expressed condolences to Magaji Megida Onikanhun’s representative, Kuranga Adebayo.
He commended the fire service’s efforts, but said the incident left over 120 occupants homeless, affecting 44 rooms and a mosque but no casualties were recorded in the 75-room compound.
Kwara State Fire Service Director, Mr. Falade Olumuyiwa, urged the general public to always play safe, especially during this period.
He urged the public not to hesitate to call the fire brigade on time whenever there was any fire emergency in their areas, as this would save lives and properties of people in the state.