A 41-year-old man identified as Abdulfatai lost his life in a devastating fire that engulfed a residential building at No. 158 Alaparun compound, Isale Alore, Ilorin, in the early hours of Monday.
The incident, which occurred around 2 am, affected a 35-room apartment, with five rooms completely destroyed before the fire could be contained by firefighters.
According to the Kwara State Fire Service, the blaze was triggered by the spontaneous ignition of combustible materials, including petrol, batteries, and a tyre inflator engine stored in one of the rooms.
It was reported that Abdulfatai, who hailed from Ile Alate in the Abayawo area of Ilorin, was not a resident of the affected building. He had reportedly come to spend the night at a friend’s house when the incident occurred.
The fire service reported that Abdulfatai was overcome by intense smoke and unable to escape, rendering him unconscious before succumbing to the flames. His body was later recovered and handed over to his family.
The Kwara State Fire Service, led by its Media and Publicity Head, PFO Hassan Adekunle, confirmed that firefighters arrived promptly at the scene after receiving a distress call at 2:07 am.
“Upon arrival, the fire had already engulfed some rooms. Our firefighters worked diligently to contain and extinguish the fire, saving 30 rooms from the 35-room dwelling,” Adekunle said.
The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service,Prince Falade John, extended condolences to Abdulfatai’s family and the community leader, the Magaji of Ile Alaparun.
Falade also stressed the importance of adhering to safety precautions, particularly avoiding the storage of highly combustible materials in residential areas.
