Fire Destroys Laundry Shop in Kwara, Residents Safe

Residents of an eight-room building escaped without injuries early Tuesday morning when a fire destroyed a laundry shop attached to their property. This happened at Assu-Luxury Quarters, off University Road, Tanke area of Ilorin, Kwara State.

The fire broke out around 3:58 a.m. Firefighters quickly responded and managed to control the fire before it could spread to the residential units or nearby buildings.

Hassan Adekunle, the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Fire Service, shared details in a statement. He said the building had eight residential rooms and a laundry shop, but only the laundry section was damaged.

He said, "The incident involved a building comprising eight rooms and a laundry shop, where the laundry shop was affected by the fire."

"Firefighters promptly mobilised to the scene and successfully brought the fire under control at about 04:25hrs, preventing it from spreading to the residential apartments and nearby properties."

Hassan added, "The crew concluded the operation and left the scene at about 04:42hrs."

The fire service stated that initial findings suggest the fire might have started due to an electrical surge from a pressing iron that was left on for too long, but investigations are still ongoing.

He said, "Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was suspected to have been caused by a power surge, possibly from one of the pressing irons that had been left powered for a long period."

"However, further investigation is still ongoing to ascertain the remote cause of the incident," Hassan noted.

In response to the fire, Alabi Muhammed, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, advised business owners, especially those running laundry services, to follow safer electrical practices.

He said, "Business owners, especially those operating laundry services, should ensure that electrical appliances are switched off immediately after use and never left unattended while powered."

Alabi also highlighted the need for regular electrical checks, using standard electrical appliances, and installing surge protection devices to lower the chances of fire incidents.

The fire service promised to keep protecting lives and properties through quick emergency responses and ongoing public education on fire safety.