Midnight Power Surge Causes Fire At Ilorin Commercial Building

A midnight power surge triggered a fire outbreak that engulfed a commercial building in the Tanke area of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, in the early hours of Wednesday. However, the intervention of the Kwara State Fire Service prevented what could have been a devastating loss of property. According to the Kwara State Fire Service, the incident occurred at about 2:19 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, after firefighters received a distress call reporting a fire at a storey commercial building beside Terminus Motor Park on University Road, Tipper Garage, Tanke, Ilorin. In a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer and Head of the Media Unit of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, the emergency response team arrived promptly at the scene and found the building, which housed six shops and one kiosk, engulfed in flames. The firefighters reportedly coordinated firefighting operations and successfully contained the blaze before it spread to the entire building. The Fire Service disclosed that while the kiosk was destroyed by the fire, all six shops were successfully saved from the inferno, preventing what could have resulted in extensive property damage. Preliminary findings by the agency indicated that the fire outbreak was caused by a power surge, underscoring the dangers associated with electrical fluctuations. Reacting to the incident, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Chief Fire Superintendent (CFS) Alabi Muhammed, praised the professionalism, courage and prompt response of the firefighters whose efforts prevented a more catastrophic outcome. He also urged residents to take precautionary measures to reduce the risk of similar incidents. According to him, electrical installations should always be carried out by qualified professionals, while electrical appliances should be switched off whenever they are not in use. The Fire Service Director further advised property owners to install appropriate surge protection devices to safeguard their buildings and businesses against fires caused by sudden power fluctuations.