High-tension lne fire razes Kwara supermarket

A fire outbreak, believed to have been ignited by a spark from a high-tension electricity transmission line, has destroyed a containerised supermarket in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State. The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday along Lubcon Road in the Mandate Area.

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A fire outbreak occurred at a supermarket container located adjacent to Peace Pharmacy, Lubcon Road, Mandate Area, Ilorin, Kwara State, on Sunday, June 14, 2026. The incident involved a containerised shop being used as a supermarket, which was affected by the fire before emergency responders arrived at the scene.

The Kwara State Fire Service confirmed the incident, stating they received a distress call at approximately 3:08 a.m. Firefighters were immediately deployed to the scene to combat the inferno. The affected structure was a container shop used as a supermarket, which was engulfed in flames before emergency responders arrived.

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Initial findings revealed that the fire was suspected to have been caused by a spark from a high-tension transmission line located directly above the supermarket. The spark reportedly fell on nearby combustible materials, igniting them and subsequently leading to the outbreak of the fire.

Preliminary investigations suggest that a spark from the high-tension transmission line situated directly above the supermarket ignited combustible materials nearby, leading to the fire. The swift intervention of firefighters was crucial in containing the blaze and preventing it from spreading to adjacent shops and properties, thereby averting a potentially larger disaster.

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Upon arrival, firefighters promptly brought the fire under control and successfully prevented it from spreading to adjoining shops and other valuable properties within the vicinity.

In response to the incident, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, issued a strong warning to the public. He advised residents and business owners to avoid constructing shops or buildings directly under or too close to high-tension power lines. Muhammad stressed that such locations pose serious fire and safety hazards, and compliance with approved siting regulations and safety standards is critical to preventing avoidable fire incidents and protecting lives and property.

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Members of the public are strongly advised to avoid constructing shops, buildings, or business premises directly under or too close to high-tension transmission lines, as such locations pose serious fire and safety hazards. Compliance with approved siting regulations and safety standards remains critical to preventing avoidable fire incidents and protecting lives and property.