Stephen Olufemi Oni Tragedy struck the Laduba community in the Ogidi area of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Saturday evening following a fire outbreak that gutted a storey building and claimed the lives of three children.
The fire incident, according to the spokesperson of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, was caused by a petrol explosion resulting from fuel stored inside the residential building.
The Kwara State Fire Service said it received a distress call at about 6:46 p.m. on January 17, 2026, and promptly deployed its personnel to the scene of the incident.
According to the Fire Service, “the affected structure was a storey building comprising five rooms and six shops, with three of the shops on the ground floor severely damaged by the fire.”
Adekunle further explained that preliminary investigations revealed that a woman had purchased about 50 litres of petrol and stored it inside one of the shops where her three children were sleeping.
“Adjacent to the shop, another woman was cooking with charcoal. Sparks from the charcoal fire spread to the area where the petrol was stored, leading to an explosion and the subsequent fire outbreak,” he stated.
He added that the inferno led to the death of the three children, while a passer-by who attempted to rescue the victims sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a hospital before firefighters arrived at the scene.
The deceased children were identified as Abdulraman Jamiu Jeje, aged eight; Islamiya Abdulwahab, aged 17, the daughter of the shop owner; and Hadizah AbdulAzeez Raji, also aged 17. Their remains were later recovered and handed over to the Laduba Community Chairman, Mr Saadu Abdulrahim.
Reacting to the incident, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, CFS Alabi Muhammed, described the tragedy as heartbreaking and avoidable, while condoling with the bereaved families and the entire Laduba community.
“This unfortunate incident is a painful reminder of the dangers associated with the storage of inflammable materials in homes and shops,” Muhammed said. “Petrol is highly volatile and can ignite explosively even from minimal heat or sparks.”
He warned residents against storing petrol and other inflammable liquids in residential or commercial premises, especially near open flames or heat sources, urging the public to keep such substances far away from fire.
The Fire Service Director also appealed to residents to promptly report unsafe practices, stressing that strict adherence to fire safety regulations remains critical to preventing avoidable loss of lives and property.
The Kwara State Fire Service reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property, while calling on residents across the state to take fire safety seriously to avert future tragedies.
