A truck carrying a large quantity of mattresses caught fire and caused a blaze that destroyed 16 rooms and seven shops at Ile Bilewu, Alabi-Owo junction, Ita-Amodu area, Ilorin, the state capital, on Tuesday, as reported by Channels TV.

According to eyewitnesses, the truck had collided with a high-tension wire, which sparked a fire that quickly spread to the mattresses.

The incident occurred at approximately 10:16 am, and the state Fire Service confirmed the fire outbreak. Firefighters were quickly deployed to the scene to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to other buildings.

The blaze is believed to have been caused by the truck's collision with the high-tension wire, which ignited the highly flammable mattresses.

“Once the mattresses caught fire, the blaze spread rapidly from the truck to the nearby building, which housed 47 rooms and 19 shops,” said the head, of media and publicity of the Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle.

“The highly flammable nature of the mattresses contributed to the swift spread of the fire. The fire spread from the truck to a nearby building containing 47 rooms and 19 shops.”

He stated that the explosion of a nearby step-down transformer actually intensified the fire situation, “further aiding the rapid spread of the fire to the adjacent shops and rooms”.

“On Tuesday, December 2, 2024, at 10:16 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service swiftly responded to a distress call reporting a fire outbreak at Ile Bilewu, Alabi-Owo Junction, Ita-Amodu area, Ilorin.

“The fire crew promptly mobilized and departed the station to address the emergency. Upon arrival, we encountered a massive inferno originating from a lorry overloaded with mattresses.

“The fire spread from the lorry to a nearby building containing 47 rooms and 19 shops. Undeterred by the intensity of the blaze, our courageous firefighters acted swiftly to contain the fire and prevent further destruction.

“Our efforts successfully saved 12 shops and 31 rooms, while 7 shops and 16 rooms were unfortunately affected.

“Investigations revealed that the fire originated from a lorry overloaded with mattresses. The lorry had collided with a high-tension wire, causing a spark that ignited the mattresses.

“Once the mattresses caught fire, the blaze spread rapidly from the lorry to the nearby building, which housed 47 rooms and 19 shops. The highly flammable nature of the mattresses contributed to the swift spread of the fire.

“Additionally, the explosion of a nearby step-down transformer intensified the situation, further aiding the rapid spread of the fire to the adjacent shops and rooms.

“It is important to acknowledge the valuable assistance provided by the Federal Fire Service, who collaborated with us in extinguishing the fire and ensuring the safety of all involved. Their timely support played a crucial role in containing the blaze,” he added.

He also commended police operatives who provided cover for the firefighters from the threat posed by hoodlums who attempted to disrupt the operation.