A five-year-old boy has on Monday set a duplex building on fire while playing with match sticks in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
FCNN gathered that the incident occurred at Abiodun Adebiyi close, off Yidi Road, Irewole area Ilorin in the Ilorin West Local Government Area of the state.
Source disclosed that one of the rooms in the duplex was completely burnt and property destroyed before men of the state fire service arrived at the scene to rescue the building from complete destruction.
A witness, who identified himself as Lanre Abdulrazaq, stated that he was doing a menial job in the area. According to him :“We just noticed that thick smoke was oozing out of the building; we raised the alarm to sensitize people around for a rescue operation.
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“We did not know the cause of the fire but later we saw the fire service who arrived and contained the fire.”
The spokesman for the state fire service, Hassan Adekunle, who confirmed the fire incident, stated that the incident was caused by a five-year-old boy who was playing with matches that he unknowingly dropped on a combustible material that escalated the fire.
Adekunle, who doubles as a principal fire officer and head of Media and Publicity in the state fire service, in a statement issued on Monday night stated that: “Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was caused by a five-year-old boy playing with matches, who inadvertently dropped a lit stick on combustible material, igniting the flames
“On Monday, 3rd February 2025, at about 17:32 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service received a distress call regarding a fire outbreak at Abiodun Adebiyi Close, Off Yidi Road, Irewolede Area, Ilorin.
“Our gallant firefighters sprang into action, arriving swiftly at the scene to find one room in a five-bedroom duplex engulfed in flames.
“Through sheer expertise and technical precision, the team worked fervently to contain the fire, ensuring it did not spread to other rooms or nearby buildings.
Thanks to their exceptional skill and coordination, only one room was affected.
The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade John, commended the firefighters for their swift and tactical response.
“He urged the public to prioritize fire safety and advised parents to keep matches away from children, emphasizing that a single matchstick could destroy an entire building.”
Adekunle,also mentioned that the State Fire Service remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting lives and property through professionalism and rapid emergency response.
