Man dies as fire engulfs Kwara hotel

2026-02-28 - 11:07

By Demola Akinyemi A man in his 50s, yet to be identified, has died in an inferno that occurred in a hotel in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State. Vanguard gathered that the fire outbreak was caused by a power surge following the restoration of electricity to the area by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC). Spokesman of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed the development in a statement on Saturday morning. According to his statement, “On Thursday, 27th February 2026, at 23:38hrs, the Kwara State Fire Service responded to a fire outbreak at Lafia Hotel, Coca-Cola Road, Ilorin. “The affected facility is an apartment used for short-let purposes, not a residential building. “The incident involved a building comprising two (2) flats with three (3) bedrooms each, all of which were affected by the fire. “The entire building was heavily engulfed in smoke, making escape extremely difficult for occupants. “Tragically, one life was lost in the incident, an unidentified male, estimated to be about 52 years of age.” It added that, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was attributed to a power surge, as the outbreak reportedly occurred immediately after power supply was restored, leading to rapid fire spread across the building. “Firefighters arrived promptly and brought the fire under control at about 23:51hrs. Three fire appliances were deployed to mitigate the magnitude of the inferno, with support from the Federal Fire Service, whose personnel were also present at the scene.” Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, CFS Alabi Muhammed, expressed deep concern over the loss of life and advised property owners, especially operators of short-let apartments, to ensure proper electrical installations, use quality surge protectors, and conduct routine electrical safety inspections. He further urged the installation of smoke detectors, emergency lighting, and fixed firefighting systems to aid early detection and evacuation, noting that smoke inhalation remains a major cause of fatalities during fires. Kwara State Fire Service reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property and urged the public to promptly report fire incidents for swift intervention.