Housemaid sets employer’s flat ablaze in Kwara

A devastating fire incident occurred in Ilorin, Kwara state, on Thursday, when a housemaid inadvertently set her employer’s four-bedroom flat on fire.

It was reported that the fire started when the maid attempted to light the gas cooker in the kitchen.

According to the Kwara State Fire Service, the incident happened at No 6, Phase 1, off Baba-Soja Street, Akerebiata, Ilorin East local government area, at approximately 10:42 am.

In a statement released by Hassan Adekunle, the head of the department of media and publicity for the fire service, the maid’s attempt to strike matches ignited the fire, as the kitchen was already saturated with liquefied gas.

The fire service confirmed the incident and responded promptly to contain the blaze.

The cause of the fire was attributed to the maid’s accidental ignition of 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”, the statement said.

It also said that the maid caught up in the fire was unharmed, adding that the entire structure was severely damaged due to the delayed emergency call.

On Thursday, August 15, 2024, at approximately 01:42 pM, the Kwara State Fire Service received an emergency call regarding a fire outbreak at No. 6, Phase 1, off Baba-Soja Street, Akerebiata, Ilorin East Local Government.

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The fire crew responded immediately to prevent further destruction.

Upon arrival, the firefighters encountered a bungalow with a four-bedroom flat fully engulfed in flames.

“The fire officers tried containing the fire and preventing it from spreading to adjacent buildings.

The fire was eventually extinguished due to expertise of the fire officers.

The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade John, expressed his 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.