A mother and her newborn baby have narrowly escaped death after a fire outbreak destroyed parts of three buildings and several properties in the Oloje Phase II area of Ilorin, Kwara State.
The incident occurred around 2am on Tuesday, October 27, following a fire outbreak reportedly linked to the collapse of a concrete electricity pole supporting a 33kV transmission line.
Recounting her experience, one of the affected residents, Aisha Suleiman, said she was awakened by an unusual electrical noise coming from beneath her freezer.
She said, “It was around 2am. There was no light, and everybody was asleep. I heard the sound of electricity from my freezer, particularly the lower part where the gas component is located.”
According to her, she immediately alerted her mother after discovering flames beneath the appliance.
Suleiman said her initial attempt to put out the fire with water and detergent failed, forcing her to abandon the effort and concentrate on rescuing her children.
She explained, “I took a bowl, poured water and detergent into it, but the fire seemed to absorb everything. I had to drop the bowl.”
The mother said she managed to retrieve her personal credentials and remove her kitchen gas cylinder before escaping with her two children.
“I picked my credentials, removed my kitchen gas cylinder, and those were the only things I could take. I then carried my two babies and ran out,” she added.
The inferno destroyed several household belongings, including furniture, a freezer, wardrobe, generator and kitchen utensils, leaving the family with significant losses.
Suleiman expressed gratitude that her children survived but lamented the damage, noting that the neighbourhood had experienced persistent electricity supply challenges for about three years.
“There was no light. For the past three years, we have been having issues with electricity on this street,” she said.
Confirming the incident in a statement, the Kwara State Fire Service said it received a distress call at 2:41am and deployed its personnel to Lawyer Lambo Street in Ilorin West Local Government Area.
The agency disclosed that the fire affected two buildings containing four-bedroom flats each and another building comprising a room-and-parlour apartment.
It said occupants of the affected apartment, including a family that had recently welcomed a newborn, were rescued with assistance from community members.
According to the fire service, three vehicles were parked in one of the buildings when the fire started, but firefighters managed to save two of them
“One of the vehicles was completely burnt, while our gallant firefighters successfully saved the remaining two vehicles from the fire,” the statement said.
The agency added that another residential building sustained damage to its kitchen, electrical appliances and solar power installation.
An adjoining travel and tours office also suffered losses, including damage to its solar power system, four tubular batteries and other electrical equipment.
A nearby vulcanising workshop was equally destroyed after a high-tension transmission line reportedly fell on the structure.
Giving an account of the suspected cause, the fire service said preliminary investigations indicated that a concrete pole carrying a 33kV electricity transmission line collapsed, causing the cable to fall on a vehicle.
“The fallen line also landed on the vehicle that was burnt, and a spark reportedly ignited its tyre before the fire escalated within a short period,” the agency stated.
The fallen cable also posed a safety challenge to firefighters, prompting the agency to contact the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company control room to disconnect electricity supply to the affected area.
The Chief Fire Officer, Alabi Muhammed, sympathised with residents and business owners affected by the incident.
He warned against constructing buildings beneath high-tension electricity lines and urged residents to maintain the required safety distances around electricity infrastructure.
Muhammed also advised the public to promptly report fallen electricity poles, damaged installations and exposed cables to the relevant authorities.
The fire service commended residents who assisted in evacuating the affected family, describing their intervention as instrumental in preventing further casualties.
