The First City Monument Bank on Murtala Mohammed Road in Ilorin, Kwara state capital, was razed by fire on Wednesday afternoon.

Eyewitnesses said properties worth N1.9 million were reportedly destroyed while customers and staff of the bank were seen scampering for safety.

The PUNCH reports that neighbours raised alarm after the fire damaged a part of the storey building and the solar panels of the bank.

Further reports revealed that the fire was put under control within 30 minutes by men of the State Fire Service which confirmed that the inferno was caused by a spark from the solar panels but didn’t get to the battery.

The Bank Branch Manager, Mr Abiodun Akinyo, disclosed that neighbours alerted the bank that smoke was coming out from the back of the building.

Akinyo said, “We did not know anything, but some neighbours alerted us that smoke was coming out from the back of the bank building; we quickly called the state Fire Service and they responded within minutes. The fire servicemen arrived at the bank in less than 15 minutes and they put out the fire within 30 minutes.”

On the cause of the fire incident, Akinyo said that it was not yet known until the fire service wrote its report, adding, “You know I am not an expert in fire incident; so, I don’t know yet until fire service gives it report.”

The Director, Kwara State Fire Service, Falade Olumuyiwa, advised the general public to be more safety-conscious at all time and avoid leaving electrical gadgets unattended.

Adekunle also said that the State Fire Service rescued a storey building from a fire outbreak at Dias Plaza, Ilofa Road, along Civil Service Clinic, Ilorin, on Tuesday night at about 7.40 pm.