A five-year-old boy inadvertently set a duplex on fire while playing with matchsticks on Monday in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State.
The incident occurred at Abiodun Adebiyi Close, off Yidi Road, in the Irewole area of Ilorin West Local Government Area.
One room in the duplex was completely destroyed by the fire, causing significant property damage before firefighters from the state fire service intervened to save the rest of the building.
A witness, Lanre Abdulrazaq, who was engaged in a menial job nearby, recounted the events leading to the blaze.
He said, “We just noticed that a thick smoke was oozing out of the building. We raised an alarm to sensitize 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,” he said.
However, the spokesman of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, who confirmed the fire incident, said it 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, a Principal Fire Officer and Head of Media and Publicity in the state fire service said, “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,” he said.
“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 that the State Fire Service remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting lives and properties through professionalism and rapid emergency response.