Overloaded Truck Fire in Ilorin Causes Extensive Damage

A truck filled with mattresses sparked a fire on Tuesday, destroying 16 rooms and seven stores in Ile Bilewu, Alabi-Owo junction, Ita-Amodu region, Ilorin, the state capital.
It was discovered that the lorry transporting the mattresses collided with a high-tension wire, resulting in a spark that ignited the mattresses.

The event, which occurred about 10:16 a.m., was confirmed by the state Fire Service.

“Once the mattresses caught fire, the blaze spread rapidly from the truck to the nearby building, which housed 47 rooms and 19 shops,” said Hassan Adekunle, the Fire Service’s head of media and publicity.

“The highly flammable nature of the mattresses contributed to the swift spread of the fire. The fire spread from the truck to a nearby building containing 47 rooms and 19 shops.”

He stated that the explosion of a nearby step-down transformer actually intensified the fire situation, “further aiding the rapid spread of the fire to the adjacent shops and rooms”.

“On Tuesday, December 2, 2024, at 10:16 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service swiftly responded to a distress call reporting a fire outbreak at Ile Bilewu, Alabi-Owo Junction, Ita-Amodu area, Ilorin.

“The fire crew promptly mobilized and departed the station to address the emergency. Upon arrival, we encountered a massive inferno originating from a lorry overloaded with mattresses.

The fire spread from the lorry to a nearby building containing 47 rooms and 19 shops. Undeterred by the intensity of the blaze, our courageous firefighters acted swiftly to contain the fire and prevent further destruction.

“Our efforts successfully saved 12 shops and 31 rooms, while 7 shops and 16 rooms were unfortunately affected.

“Investigations revealed that the fire originated from a lorry overloaded with mattresses. The lorry had collided with a high-tension wire, causing a spark that ignited the mattresses.

“Once the mattresses caught fire, the blaze spread rapidly from the lorry to the nearby building, which housed 47 rooms and 19 shops. The highly flammable nature of the mattresses contributed to the swift spread of the fire.

Furthermore, the explosion of a neighboring step-down transformer exacerbated the situation, allowing the fire to spread quickly to the surrounding shops and rooms.

“It is crucial to recognize the Federal Fire Service’s invaluable assistance in extinguishing the fire and guaranteeing the safety of everybody involved. “Their timely assistance was critical in containing the fire,” he continued.

He also praised police officers who protected firefighters from hoodlums who attempted to disrupt the operation.