Kwara fire guts building in Eyenkorin, charcoal blamed

An early-morning fire on Sunday gutted a residential building at Tewo-Gbore Street, Ogele Ori-Sunbare in the Eyenkorin area of Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State, destroying parts of the property.

The PUNCH gathered that the incident, which occurred at about 12:38 am, affected a building comprising a room-and-parlour self-contained apartment and a two-bedroom flat.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, firefighters responded swiftly after receiving a distress call from the area.

Adekunle said the timely intervention of firemen prevented the fire from spreading to nearby structures and limited the extent of the damage recorded during the incident.

“Firefighters swiftly mobilised to the scene and, through their timely and coordinated efforts, successfully contained the fire and saved an adjoining building from being affected,” he said.

The spokesperson disclosed that preliminary investigations traced the cause of the fire to improperly quenched charcoal stored within the vicinity of the residential building.

“Findings indicated that sacks of charcoal had just been unloaded, and part of the charcoal was not completely extinguished.

“Upon exposure to air, the residual heat reignited and exacerbated the situation, resulting in the fire spreading to the building,” Adekunle stated.

Reacting to the incident, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, warned charcoal dealers, transporters, and residents against careless handling and storage of combustible materials capable of retaining heat.

He further emphasised the need to avoid storing combustible materials close to residential buildings, while urging residents to remain vigilant and promptly report fire outbreaks to emergency responders.

The agency reiterated its commitment to safeguarding lives and property through proactive emergency response and public safety sensitisation across the state.

The latest incident came barely two weeks after another major fire outbreak destroyed no fewer than 24 shops at the popular Mandate Ultra-Modern Market in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, in the early hours of May 12.