Seven students of the Kwara State Polytechnic (Kwarapoly), Ilorin, Kwara state and a gas attendant reportedly sustained varying degrees of injury during a fire incident at a gas refilling shop near a student hostel.
The fire incident occurred at Destiny Villa, Dola Abinbola Street, Elekoyangan area in the Ilorin East local government area of the state late Saturday night, Nov. 18.
The Head of Department media and publicity of the state Fire Service, Hakeem Adekunle, on behalf of the director of the service, Prince Falade John, said that the fire started when a gas attendant at a nearby gas shop was refilling a gas cylinder, positioned several meters above ground level.
“The cylinder fell and exploded, concurrently releasing gas from the charged hose used for refilling. This exacerbated the fire, resulting in injuries to seven Kwara State Polytechnic students and the gas attendant.
“The firemen promptly departed from the station and upon arrival at the scene, they encountered a building with about 17 self-contained rooms fully ablaze. Four rooms were affected, and eight individuals sustained injuries”.
The fireman said that a total estimated property lost was valued at N14.6 million, while a total estimated property saved was N72.2 million.
In response to the incident, Director of Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade John, dispatched his team to check on the affected students on Sunday, November 19, 2023.
The Director also urged the members of the public to prioritise safety measures to prevent fire disasters.