A young boy accidentally set a residential building on fire in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Monday after playing with matches. The incident occurred at Abiodun Adebiyi Close, off Yidi Road, in the Irewolede area of Ilorin West Local Government.
According to reports, the fire started in one of the rooms of a five-bedroom duplex. The flames quickly spread, destroying property before firefighters arrived to prevent further damage.
An eyewitness, Lanre Abdulrazaq, who was working in the area at the time, described the chaotic moment when the fire broke out. “We just noticed that thick smoke was oozing out of the building; we raised the alarm to sensitise people around for a rescue operation,” he said.
While the exact cause of the fire was initially unclear, officials later confirmed that the young boy had accidentally dropped a lit match on a flammable material, igniting the blaze.
Spokesman for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed the incident, stating, “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.”
The fire service received the emergency call at 5:32 p.m. and immediately dispatched a team to the location. Upon arrival, firefighters found one room completely engulfed in flames. Acting swiftly, they managed to contain the fire, preventing it from spreading to other parts of the house or neighboring buildings.
According to Adekunle, their timely response and expertise played a crucial role in minimizing damage. The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade John, praised the firefighters for their quick action.
He also urged the public to be more cautious about fire safety, particularly when it comes to children handling matches. “A single matchstick could destroy an entire building,” he warned.
Although the fire was brought under control, the affected family lost valuable belongings in the incident.
