A couple and their newborn baby narrowly escaped death after a fire gutted their apartment in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The family was rescued by community members in the early hours of Tuesday, October 27, 2026, as the fire affected several buildings and businesses in the area.
The spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, confirmed the incident in a statement, attributing the outbreak to the collapse of a concrete pole supporting a 33kV electricity transmission line.
According to him, the collapse reportedly generated sparks that affected nearby properties and electrical appliances, triggering the fire.
Adekunle said firefighters responded to the emergency at Lawyer Lambo Street, Oloje Phase 2, in the Ilorin West Local Government Area.
“The Fire Service received the distress call and turned out at 02:41hrs, following a fire outbreak involving three buildings and other properties in the vicinity,” the statement read.
He explained that the incident involved two buildings, each comprising four-bedroom flats, and a third building consisting of a room-and-parlour self-contained apartment.
The self-contained apartment occupied by the couple and their newborn baby was severely affected by the fire. However, the occupants were rescued by members of the community.
In one of the four-bedroom flats, three vehicles were parked at the time of the incident. One of the vehicles was completely burnt, while firefighters successfully prevented the flames from spreading to the other two vehicles.
The second four-bedroom flat also sustained damage, particularly in the kitchen, where electrical appliances, including a freezer, were affected. The building’s solar power generation system was also damaged.
An adjoining travel and tours office was similarly affected, with its solar power generation system, four tubular batteries and other electrical appliances sustaining damage.
The fire also completely destroyed a nearby vulcanising workshop after a high-tension transmission line fell on the structure.
According to the statement, the fallen line also landed on the vehicle that was burnt. A spark reportedly ignited the vehicle’s tyre, causing the fire to spread rapidly.
“Preliminary findings indicate that the incident resulted from the collapse of a concrete pole supporting a 33kV electricity transmission line. The impact reportedly generated sparks that affected nearby properties and electrical appliances, triggering the fire outbreak,” Adekunle said.
He added that, due to the electrical hazard posed by the fallen transmission line, the Kwara State Fire Service contacted the control room of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and requested the shutdown of the feeder supplying electricity to the affected area.
The measure was necessary to ensure a safer environment for firefighters to operate and manage the emergency effectively.
Meanwhile, the Chief Fire Officer, CFS Alabi Muhammed, expressed sympathy to the affected residents, property owners and business operators over the losses recorded in the incident.
Muhammed warned members of the public against erecting buildings, shops and other structures directly beneath high-tension electricity transmission lines.
He also advised property developers and residents to maintain the required safety setbacks around electricity infrastructure in line with relevant regulations.
The Chief Fire Officer stressed that maintaining a safe distance from electricity transmission lines was essential to reducing the risk of electrical accidents, fire outbreaks and damage to lives and property.
He further urged residents to promptly report fallen poles, damaged electrical infrastructure and exposed transmission lines to the relevant authorities.
Residents were also cautioned against touching fallen electricity wires or any objects in contact with them due to the risk of electrocution.
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