A section of the Federal secretariat in Ilorin, Kwara State, North Central Nigeria was on Saturday at about 4.39pm local time gutted by fire.
It was gathered that the fire outbreak was a result of a mechanical fault which led to overheating.
However, prompt intervention of the men of Kwara State Fire Service saved the gigantic building that houses many federal establishments from total damage.
The spokesman of the state Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle who confirmed the incident said many properties were saved from the inferno.
Adekunle said the fire outbreak was reported by one Mrs. Justina and the firemen quickly arrived at the scene which prevented its spread.
“The leading officer of the crew who attended the incident announced that they arrived promptly at the scene and they were able to limit the damage caused by the ravaging fire to a solar panel.”
The officer added that the cause of the fire incident was due to mechanical fault which led to overheating and caught fire.
In his reaction to the incident, the state Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Olusegun Adeyemi whose office is also at the Federal Secretariat confirmed that the fire incident occurred within the premises of the Federal Secretariat Complex, Fate Road Ilorin, the state capital.
According to him, the MTN booster base that was recently rearranged to include a solar timer to further boost the mechanical functions of the base caught fire.
Mr. Adeyemi told VON Correspondent that apart from the MTN installation that was affected, no damage was done to other properties and there was no human casualty.
“There is an MTN mast on the building of the Federal Secretariat Complex Ilorin that is being serviced by the base that got burnt” the NOA Director explained further.
Also in another part of Kwara state on Saturday’s night, pandemonium broke out in Alagbado area of the State as a petroleum tanker caught fire at MM filling station, Ayegbami junction, Sobi Specialist Hospital road.
Residents of Alagbado, Okelele, Ayegbami, Dada and Oloje as well as adjoining communities abandoned their houses and scampered to safety as the huge smoke from the fire suggested that the fire might reach their places.
The state governor, AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq, visited the scene of the incident at about 11.45pm to assess the situation and commiserated with the victims and residents of the area.
The incident occurred at about 100pm local time when a petroleum tanker was discharging fuel at MM filling station.
The firemen who attended to a distress call had hectic time putting out the fire, but their quick response was applauded by the people who gathered at the scene of the fire outbreak.
The Special Adviser on Strategy to Kwara State governor, Alhaji Saadu Salahu, whose private residence is located behind the burning filling station, expressed his appreciation to the state government and the firemen for their prompt interventions.
Salahu, whose family were evacuated by neighbours thanked the security operatives and his private guard for their prompt responses.
He equally thanked the people of the adjoining communities, family, friends and relations for their concerns and show of love while the nightmare lasted.
The Special Adviser noted that were it not for the prompt intervention of the state government and the gallant firemen, the fire outbreak would have wreak havoc of unimaginable proportion.
Above all, Salahu thanked Allah for ensuring the safety of lives of the people in the neighborhood and his own family members as his residence is situated directly behind the burning filling station.
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