Power surge sparks fire in Kwara laundry shop

Residents of an eight-room residential building escaped unhurt in the early hours of Tuesday after a fire outbreak destroyed a laundry shop attached to the property at Assu-Luxury Quarters, off University Road, Tanke area of Ilorin, Kwara State.

The incident, which occurred at about 3:58 am, prompted a swift response from firefighters, who contained the blaze before it spread to the residential apartments and adjoining buildings.

The Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, disclosed the development in a statement.

He said the affected property comprised eight residential rooms and a laundry shop, with only the laundry section damaged.

“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.

“The crew concluded the operation and left the scene at about 04:42hrs,” he said.

According to the fire service, preliminary findings suggest the blaze may have been caused by an electrical power surge from a pressing iron left switched on for an extended period, although investigations are ongoing.

“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 added.

Reacting to the incident, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, urged business owners, particularly laundry operators, to adopt safer electrical practices.

“Business owners, especially those operating laundry services, should ensure that electrical appliances are switched off immediately after use and never left unattended while powered,” he advised.

He also stressed the need for routine electrical inspections, the use of standard electrical appliances and the installation of surge protection devices to reduce the risk of fire outbreaks.

The fire service reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property through prompt emergency response and sustained public awareness on fire safety.