Two separate fire incidents burned production facilities in Ilorin, Kwara State, within seven hours, causing property damage worth millions of dollars.
The first event occurred late Friday night at Kunzol Multi-Sector Nigeria Limited, a facility that produces yam flour and crunchy garri in Ilorin South Local Government’s Kilanko-Agbonka area.
It was discovered that the inferno, which began about 10:10 p.m., was caused by heat remains from a furnace used during production, which later ignited flammable materials in the factory.
Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, Head of Media and Publicity for the Kwara State Fire Service, confirmed the event in a statement made on Saturday, saying the factory’s whole production area was already on fire before firemen arrived.
According to the statement, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was triggered by remnants of unquenched fire, which ignited combustible materials in proximity, leading to rapid escalation,” Adekunle said.
He added that firefighters battled the inferno and kept it from spreading to other structures, preventing a larger industrial disaster.
Prince Falade John, Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, has cautioned industry operators to ensure that heat sources are properly shut off at the end of the day.
“Negligence with fire remnants remains a leading cause of avoidable industrial fires. Business premises must adopt strict fire-safety procedures,” he said.
In a separate incident, an early-morning inferno on Saturday destroyed Unik AJ Prints, a printing factory located on Opomalu Road in Ilorin East Local Government.
According to eyewitnesses, the inferno started about 3:15 a.m. and spread to a two-story structure that housed printing machines, inverter units, and other industrial items.
Firefighters, according to Adekunle, responded quickly despite the difficult early morning weather.
“Their swift and determined efforts successfully prevented the fire from spreading to adjoining structures, averting further damage in the densely built area,” he said.
Preliminary studies indicated that the inferno was most likely sparked by a spark from the facility’s inverter system, which ignited surrounding flammable items.
In response to the second occurrence, Prince Falade encouraged businesses to build solar and inverter systems in isolated, protected areas.
“We urge residents to adopt fire-retardant materials and ensure proper installation of alternative power systems to reduce risks,” he stated.
The Kwara State Fire Service emphasized its commitment to ensuring public safety and rapid emergency response across the state.
