A five-year-old boy reportedly set a duplex building on fire while playing with matches in Ilorin, Kwara State yesterday.
A report revealed the incident happened at Abiodun Adebiyi close, off Yidi Road, Irewole area in the Ilorin West Local Government Area of the state.
An eyewitness detailed that one of the rooms in the duplex burnt completely and property was destroyed before the arrival of men of the state fire service who prevented the building from total destruction.
A menial job worker in the area, Lanre Abdulrazaq said, “We just noticed that thick smoke was oozing out of the building; we raised the alarm to sensitise people around for a rescue operation.
“We did not know the cause of the fire but later we saw the fire service who arrived and contained the fire.”
The spokesman of the state fire service, Hassan Adekunle confirmed the incident, stating that the fire was caused by the five-year-old boy who was playing with matches.
Adekunle said the young boy unknowingly dropped a lit stick on combustible material which triggered the fire.
However, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade John Olumuyiwa, commended the firefighters for their swift and tactical response.
The DG further urged the public to prioritise fire safety and advised parents to keep matches away from children, emphasising that a single matchstick could destroy an entire building.
His statement on Monday reads: “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 said.
