An early morning fire inferno has destroyed 22 shop and 6 containers at Kara Market, in Ajase-Ipo, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara state.
In a statement the Head, Media and Publicity ,Kwara state Fire service,Hassan Adekunle says the fire outbreak started , in the early hours of today , at exactly 01:35hrs.
According to it on arrival at the scene, firefighters discovered that out of a total of 323 shops in the market, comprising 22 plank shops and 7 kiosks among others, the fire affected 22 plank shops and 6 container shops.
It hints that preliminary investigation revealed that the incident was caused by negligence, as one of the occupants of the plank shops failed to properly extinguish fire used for cooking which later reignited, and spread rapidly to nearby shops.
The statement explains that timely intervention of the State Fire Service helped prevent further escalation and safeguarded hundreds of other shops and properties from destruction.
The Director, Kwara State Fire Service, urges the general public to always ensure proper handling of fire , adding that they should take safety measures seriously, especially in marketplaces where combustible materials are in abundance.
Rel/Ali Muhammad Rabi’u.
