By Deborah Nnamdi
A fire outbreak triggered by a candle left burning overnight has destroyed four rooms in the boys’ quarters of a church in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday at Christ Celestial Church of God, Ife Oluwa, located in the Tanke area of the city.
According to the Kwara State Fire Service, the fire broke out at about 6:18 a.m. and affected part of the church premises before firefighters arrived and contained the blaze, preventing it from spreading to other sections of the building and nearby structures.
In a statement issued by the agency’s spokesperson, Hassan Adekunle, the fire service said emergency responders were immediately deployed to the scene following a distress call.
He explained that preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was caused by a candle left burning overnight to provide light in one of the rooms.
The statement noted that the unattended flame ignited nearby combustible materials, resulting in the outbreak.
“On Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at about 06:18hrs, the Kwara State Fire Service responded to a fire outbreak at Christ Celestial Church of God Ife Oluwa, located opposite UMCA Chapel, along Chapel Secondary School, Tanke Area, Ilorin, Kwara State.
“The incident involved the boys’ quarters of the church premises, where four rooms were affected by the fire,” the statement said.
Adekunle added that firefighters acted swiftly on arrival and successfully brought the situation under control before the flames could escalate.
Reacting to the incident, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, cautioned members of the public against leaving naked flames unattended, particularly in enclosed spaces.
He urged residents to adopt safer lighting alternatives and ensure that combustible materials are kept away from candles and other open flames.
“Members of the public should avoid leaving naked flames such as candles unattended, especially overnight or in enclosed spaces,” Muhammed said.
The fire service reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property through prompt emergency response and sustained public awareness campaigns on fire safety and prevention.
The latest incident comes amid a series of recent fire outbreaks in Ilorin, including a June 14 fire that destroyed a containerised supermarket along Lubcon Road in the Mandate Area after sparks from a high-tension electricity line reportedly ignited the structure.
