Africa-Press – Nigeria. A firefighter of the Kwara State Fire Service sustained serious injuries on Sunday while attempting to contain a fire disaster in Ilorin, the state capital.
The firefighter was reportedly struck by a vehicle that lost control at the Kwara State Polytechnic gate.
The fire, which occurred at about 4:36 pm, involved 15 container shops, with three of them affected, according to the spokesman of the state fire service, Hassan Adekunle, in Ilorin on Sunday.
He said: “Firefighters promptly engaged the blaze and successfully contained it, preventing further spread and extensive losses within the commercial area.
“Preliminary investigation indicated that the fire was caused by a power surge, which ignited combustible materials within the affected containers.
“Regrettably, during the course of the operation, one of the gallant firefighters sustained a serious injury when a vehicle that lost control ran into him at the scene.”
Hassan disclosed that the injured firefighter was immediately attended to and taken for medical care.
“The unfortunate incident underscores the high-risk nature of firefighting duties and the sacrifices made daily by personnel in the line of duty,” he added.
The Director of the State Fire Service, Prince Falade John Olumuyiwa, expressed deep concern over the incident and wished the injured firefighter a speedy and full recovery.
He advised motorists to exercise extreme caution and obey traffic controls around emergency scenes, stressing that reckless driving endangers both responders and the public.
The director also urged shop owners and traders to install surge protectors, avoid overloading electrical systems, and ensure proper wiring to reduce the risk of fire outbreaks caused by electrical faults.
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