A late-night fire outbreak on Friday destroyed offices used as storage facilities at the Kwara State University of Education, Ilorin, resulting in the loss of official records, including files, documents and academic journals.
According to reports, the incident occurred around 9:14 p.m. in a block containing four offices, with three offices affected by the blaze. The fire also impacted parts of the institution, including the biology laboratory.
Eyewitness accounts and reports by Daily Trust indicated that the fire may have been triggered by an unidentified individual who set nearby dry bushes ablaze, which later spread to the building.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Saturday, the spokesperson of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, said firefighters swiftly responded to the distress call and successfully brought the fire under control.
Adekunle noted that the prompt intervention prevented the fire from spreading to the Biology Laboratory and other surrounding structures. He added that several important files and records were recovered during the operation.
The Director of the Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, cautioned institutions and members of the public against indiscriminate bush burning, especially within and around school premises.
He further advised institutions to adopt safer vegetation-clearing methods, maintain buffer zones around buildings, properly store sensitive documents and install basic firefighting equipment to minimize damage during fire incidents.
The Kwara State Fire Service reiterated its commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the state.