A 52-year-old man has died in a late-night fire outbreak that completely destroyed a short-let apartment building in Ilorin, Kwara State, with fire service officials attributing the tragedy to a power surge.

The Kwara State Fire Service responded to a fire outbreak at Lafia Hotel, Coca-Cola Road, Ilorin, at about 23:38hrs on Thursday, 27th February 2026.

The building was an apartment used for short-let purposes, not a residential building. It consisted of two flats with three bedrooms each, and all the rooms were affected by the fire. according to Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, Head of Media and Publicity of the Kwara State Fire Service.

The PRO noted that the entire structure was heavily filled with smoke at the time of the outbreak, making it extremely difficult for occupants to escap.

Tragically, one life was lost in the incident—an unidentified male, estimated to be about 52 years of age, the fire service confirmed.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was attributed to a power surge, as the outbreak reportedly occurred immediately after power supply was restored, leading to rapid fire spread across the building.

The incident adds to a troubling pattern of fire outbreaks caused by power surges across Kwara State in recent months, with several buildings destroyed and lives endangered by similar electrical incidents.

The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service has repeatedly advised residents to install surge protectors, ensure proper electrical wiring, avoid overloading electrical outlets, carry out routine checks on wiring systems, and switch off electrical appliances when leaving their premises.

The fire service urged property owners, particularly those operating short-let apartments and hotels, to invest in fire safety equipment including smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and emergency exit systems to minimize casualties during fire emergencies.

Authorities are working to identify the deceased victim and notify his family as investigations into the full circumstances of the tragedy continue.