A blaze that broke out at the Alagbede Tipper Garage in Ilorin, under the Ilorin South Local Government Area of Kwara State, around 1:45 am on Tuesday has destroyed three trucks out of a total of 42 parked in the facility. The fire, which originated from a waste collection truck, caused significant damage despite leaving the majority of vehicles unscathed.

The PUNCH Metro reported that the incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday morning. According to a statement issued by Principal Fire Officer Hassan Adekunle, Head of Media and Publicity for the Kwara State Fire Service, the service promptly responded to the emergency call and attended to the fire shortly after it erupted.

The swift intervention by the fire service helped limit the destruction to just three vehicles, averting a potentially larger disaster at the garage.

“On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at 01:35 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service received a distress call reporting a fire at the Alagbede Tipper Garage, Ilorin, Ilorin South Local Government Area, Kwara State.

“Responding swiftly, the fire crew arrived at the scene to find a fleet of trucks, some of which were already engulfed in flames.

“Through the efforts of the firefighters, the fire was contained, limiting damage to only three out of the 42 trucks in the garage.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire originated from a waste collection truck that had been parked with refuse still inside. The refuse contained lit charcoal, which smouldered and eventually ignited, spreading to two other trucks before being extinguished”, the statement further said.

The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade John, urged the public to remain vigilant and adopt strict fire safety measures to prevent such incidents.

In another incident which occurred on Monday, a shop was destroyed by fire at No 1 Awolowo Road, Tanke area, Ilorin in Ilorin South Local Government Area of the state.

A statement by Hassan Adekunle, spokesman for the state Fire Service read, “On March 17, 2025, at 16:15 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service swiftly responded to a distress call reporting a fire at No. 1 Awolowo Road Tanke Ilorin, Ilorin South Local Government Area, Kwara State.

“Upon arrival, the firefighters immediately sprang into action to contain the blaze. The fire involved two shops, but through their swift intervention, the firemen successfully prevented it from spreading to the second shop.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire originated from a solar battery in one of the shops”, the statement said.

“The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service urged the public to adopt strict safety precautions and ensure that solar power setups are installed in well-ventilated, isolated locations to prevent fire hazards”, it said.

The Kwara State Fire Service said that it remained committed to protecting lives and property through proactive fire prevention and swift emergency response.