At least 10 kiosks were affected at the popular Phone Village in Challenge Market, Ilorin, Kwara State, following a fire outbreak on Wednesday evening.
According to reports, the fire began around 9:06 pm and it was believed to have been triggered by a power surge.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Hassan Adekunle, spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, confirmed that the blaze primarily targeted phone stores and repair shops within the market.
“Our fire crew promptly mobilised and arrived at the scene to find several shops engulfed in flames,” Adekunle stated.
The Fire Service spokesman also said, “The market comprises over 120 shops, 80 kiosks, and numerous stands. Through swift intervention, professionalism, and tactical expertise, our team successfully curtailed the spread of the fire, limiting its impact to only 10 kiosks.”
Adekunle added that preliminary investigations point to a power surge as the cause of the fire, while also noting that traders and market stakeholders praised the fire service for their rapid response.
Falade Olumuyiwa, director of the Kwara State Fire Service, expressed sympathy to the market leadership and traders affected by the incident.
No casualties were reported as of the time of filing this report.
