Tears flow as 3 children burnt to death in Kwara

Three children have been confirmed dead following a fire outbreak that engulfed part of a storey building in Laduba Community, Ogidi area of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

The tragic incident occurred at No. 1 Popo Street, beside Ojere Junction, when a fire reportedly broke out inside the building, which consists of about five rooms and six shops. The blaze spread rapidly, throwing the densely populated neighbourhood into panic.

According to reports, the fire affected three shops located on the ground floor of the building, causing significant damage before emergency responders could gain control of the situation.

Witnesses told our correspondent that the inferno started after a large quantity of petrol stored inside one of the shops came in contact with heat from a nearby charcoal fire.

It was learnt that a woman had reportedly purchased about 50 litres of petrol which she stored inside her shop where her children were sleeping at the time.

Sources said another woman was cooking with charcoal in an adjoining shop when sparks from the fire spread to the area where the petrol was kept, triggering a powerful explosion that led to the fire outbreak.

In the ensuing chaos, residents rushed to the scene in a desperate attempt to rescue the trapped children.

A passerby who joined the rescue effort sustained injuries and was rushed to the hospital for treatment before the arrival of emergency responders.

However, three children were later confirmed dead at the scene.

The victims were identified as Abdulraman Jamiu Jeje, aged eight; Islamiya Abdulwahab, aged 17, the daughter of the shop owner; and Hadizah AbdulAzeez Raji, aged 17.

Their remains were recovered and handed over to the community chairman, Saadu Abdulrahim.

Confirming the incident on Sunday, the Kwara State Fire Service said it received a distress call at exactly 6:46 pm on Saturday and immediately deployed its crew to the scene.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, preliminary findings showed that petrol stored inside a shop ignited after being exposed to heat from a nearby charcoal fire.

The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and condoled with the families of the victims and the Laduba community.

He described the incident as heartbreaking and avoidable, warning residents against storing inflammable substances such as petrol in homes and shops.

He stressed that petrol is highly volatile and can ignite explosively from minimal heat or sparks.

The Fire Service urged members of the public to keep inflammable materials away from open flames and to report unsafe practices to relevant authorities in order to prevent similar tragedies.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to public safety and called on residents to strictly adhere to fire safety regulations to prevent further loss of lives and property.