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Ilorin
As victims of Owode market in Offa in Kwara state count their losses, hoping for succour, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Mrs Aisha Ahman Pategi, has sympathised with the victims.
In a statement signed by the press secretary to the ministry, Oba Azeez , the Commissioner expressed shock over the incident and commiserated with the Olofa of Offa, Oba Muftau Gbadamosi.
According to the commissioner, Offa Local Government Area is one of the industrial hubs of the state, adding that the importance of the market to the local community and the state cannot be overstated.
She prayed to Allah to cushion the effects of the fire on the victims.
The Commissioner advised the people to exercise caution in using electricity and items items which could ignite fire.
She also pledged that her Ministry would work with the community and concerned authorities on how to assist the victims and prevent future tragedy.
Duaglobalnews gathered that no fewer than 23 shops and goods worth millions of naira were destroyed in Tuesday morning inferno at Owode market in Offa, Kwara State.
The online medium reports that the fire which started at about1.00a.m engulfed many of the shops before the personnel of state the Fire Brigade could be reached for rescue.
The eventual arrival of the fire brigade men prevented the inferno from spreading to more shops and houses in the vicinity.
Reacting to the incident, the Head, Media and Publicity of the Kwara Fire Service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, said the intelligence unit of the Fire Brigade was working to know the immediate and remote causes of the fire.
Adekinle, however, said he suspected that electric spark might have caused the fire.
He said “The cause of the inferno is suspected to be an electric spark, even though the intelligent team of the State Fire Brigade is still working to ascertain the actual cause or causes of the fire outbreak.
“If not because of the quick intervention of the Fire Brigade, the disaster would have been greater.
“About 23 shops were affected due to the little delay in reaching out to the fire brigade.”
