A fire broke out at the Kwara State High Court Complex in Ilorin on Sunday night, destroying Courtroom No. 10 before the blaze was contained by the State Fire Service. The fire, which started shortly after 8 pm, was attributed to a power surge that occurred in the Government Reserved Area, where the court complex is located.
Eyewitnesses reported that the fire spread rapidly, consuming items in the courtroom, including two air conditioners, a plasma television, a fan, documents, and furniture. However, the swift response of the fire service prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the court complex, which houses multiple courtrooms and offices.
In a statement, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed that only Courtroom No. 10 was affected, crediting the firefighters’ quick action for averting what could have been a much larger disaster. “The fire was contained before it could spread to adjacent courtrooms and offices,” Adekunle said. “The timely intervention by our team saved the High Court complex from significant damage.”
According to Adekunle, the fire was caused by a power surge that ignited a standing air conditioner in the courtroom. Firefighters, who arrived promptly on the scene, managed to put out the blaze before it could cause further damage. The fire service was alerted at approximately 8:02 pm, and fire trucks were immediately dispatched to the court complex to handle the situation.
Officials present at the scene, including the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Special Duties, Alhaji AbdulRazaq Jiddah, and the Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Abiodun Adebara, praised the efforts of the fire service personnel in averting a larger disaster. Both expressed relief that the damage was confined to one courtroom and commended the quick response that saved the complex from further harm.
The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Falade John, also lauded the firefighters for their bravery and urged the general public to be more safety-conscious, especially in the handling of electrical appliances, to prevent similar incidents in the future. “Fire outbreaks caused by power surges can be devastating, but they are preventable,” he said. “We urge everyone to take extra care in monitoring their electrical connections, especially in public buildings.”
The Kwara State Fire Service reiterated its commitment to ensuring public safety and urged citizens to report fire hazards promptly to avoid property damage and loss of life.
