Shocking Tragedy: 5-Year-Old’s Costly Mistake Sets House on Fire

Shocking Tragedy: 5-Year-Old’s Costly Mistake Sets House on Fire
A five-year-old boy in Ilorin, Kwara State, accidentally set fire to a duplex while playing with matches, leaving one of the rooms completely destroyed before firefighters could contain the blaze.
The incident, according to Channels, happened on Monday at Abiodun Adebiyi Close, off Yidi Road, in the Irewolede area of Ilorin West Local Government Area.
A witness, Lanre Abdulrazaq, who was working in the area, described the terrifying moment when thick smoke began to rise from the building.
“We just noticed that thick smoke was oozing out of the building. We raised an alarm to alert people for a rescue operation,” he said.
Residents quickly gathered, unsure of what caused the fire. Before they could take action, firefighters from the Kwara State Fire Service arrived and began battling the flames.
Hassan Adekunle, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, confirmed that the fire was caused by a child playing with matches.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was caused by a five-year-old boy playing with matches. He unknowingly dropped a lit stick on a combustible material, which escalated the fire,” Adekunle said.
He explained that the fire service received a distress call at exactly 17:32 hours on Monday, February 3, 2025, and immediately dispatched a team to the scene.
“Our gallant firefighters sprang into action, arriving swiftly 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.
Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade John, praised the firefighters for their quick response and urged parents to be more vigilant about fire safety.
“A single matchstick can destroy an entire building. Parents must ensure that children do not have access to matches or any flammable materials,” he warned.
The Kwara State Fire Service reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property through professionalism and rapid emergency response.
As a reminder, experts advise keeping matches and lighters out of children’s reach, installing smoke detectors in homes, and educating children about fire safety to prevent similar incidents.
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