On Monday, a fire incident in Megida Onikahun compound, Edun Isale, Ilorin South Local Government Area of Kwara State, left 120 people homeless and destroyed 44 rooms along with a mosque. The fire, which engulfed the ancient compound and the market, lasted for over an hour before being extinguished by the Kwara State Fire Service. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Hassan Adekunle, the Head of Media and Publicity for the state fire service, explained that the fire started in the morning from a refuse dump. The firefighters received the call around 11:08 am and responded promptly. The entire compound and Edun Market were found engulfed in flames upon arrival. To enhance firefighting efforts, part of the fence was dismantled for better access.
Adekunle stated, “The proficient firefighters successfully brought the situation under control within an hour before completely extinguishing the fire.” Investigation revealed that an unknown person had ignited refuse, initially mistaken for harmless smoke, which unfortunately spread to the nearby compound.
The fire left over 120 occupants homeless, affecting 44 rooms and a mosque in the 75-room Magaji Onikanhun Compound. Adekunle expressed condolences to Magaji Megida Onikanhun’s representative on behalf of the Director of the state Fire Service. The director urged the public to play it safe, especially during the dry season, and emphasized the importance of timely calls to the fire brigade during emergencies to prevent loss of lives and property. Authorities from the Federal Fire Service, the Department of Disaster Management of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the State Emergency Management Agency were present at the scene to ensure crowd control and prevent potential looting.
