A fire outbreak destroyed a four-bedroom bungalow in Ilorin, Kwara State capital on Thursday.
It was gathered that the incident occurred as a result of gas explosion caused by a housemaid.
Spokesman of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, in a statement in Ilorin on Thursday, said the incident occurred at about 10:42 am, at No. 6, Phase 1, off Baba-Soja Street, Akerebiata, Ilorin East Local Government Area of the state capital.
He said the fire crew responded immediately, racing to the scene to prevent further destruction.
“Upon arrival, the firefighters encountered a bungalow with a four-bedroom flat fully engulfed in flames.
“Unfazed, the brave fire officers demonstrated their expertise by containing the fire and preventing it from spreading to adjacent buildings,” he said.
Hassan disclosed that the swift and skilled intervention of the firefighters put the fire outbreak under control and the fire was eventually extinguished.
“Fortunately, the maid present in the building was unharmed, however, the entire structure was severely damaged due to the delayed emergency call.
“During investigation, it was discovered that the fire originated when the maid attempted to ignite the gas cooker. After several attempts to strike matches while the liquefied gas had already saturated the kitchen, the ignition finally occurred, causing an explosion that led to the fire.”
Director of the state fire service, Prince Falade John Olumuyiwa, expressed sympathy to those affected and urged the public to adhere strictly to safety precautions.
He emphasized the importance of striking matches before turning on gas appliances to prevent similar incidents in the future.