A firefighter with the Kwara State Fire Service sustained serious injuries on Sunday while responding to a fire outbreak at the entrance of the Kwara State Polytechnic in Ilorin. The officer was reportedly struck by a vehicle that lost control while he was performing his duties at the emergency scene.

The fire, which broke out at approximately 4:36 pm, involved a cluster of 15 container shops. Firefighters managed to contain the blaze, limiting the damage to only three shops and preventing it from spreading to the wider commercial area. A preliminary investigation by the fire service suggests the fire was triggered by a power surge that ignited flammable materials within the containers.

Hassan Adekunle, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, confirmed that the injured firefighter was immediately rushed for medical care. The Director of the State Fire Service, Prince Falade John Olumuyiwa, expressed deep concern over the incident and urged motorists to exercise extreme caution and respect traffic controls around emergency scenes to avoid endangering responders.

"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.