Tragedy struck the Laduba community in the Ogidi area of Ilorin over the weekend as three children lost their lives in a devastating fire outbreak that gutted parts of a storey building.
The inferno occurred at No. 1 Popo Street, beside Ojere Junction, prompting an emergency response from the Kwara State Fire Service.
Confirming the incident in a statement, the Public Relations Officer and Head of the Media Unit of the Service, Hassan Adekunle, disclosed that the fire was caused by the storage of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) inside one of the shops in the building.
“The Kwara State Fire Service responded to a tragic fire incident at No. 1 Popo Street, beside Ojere Junction, Laduba Community, Ogidi Area, Ilorin, Kwara State,” Adekunle said.
He explained that the affected structure comprised five rooms and six shops, with three ground-floor shops completely razed by the fire.
According to preliminary investigations, a woman had purchased about 50 litres of petrol and stored it inside a shop where her three children were sleeping at the time.
“Adjacent to the shop, another woman was cooking with charcoal, and embers from the charcoal fire spread to the area where the petrol was stored, triggering an explosion and subsequent fire outbreak,” the statement added.
The fire claimed the lives of Abdulraman Jamiu Jeje (8), Islamiya Abdulwahab (17) — the daughter of the shop owner — and Hadizah AbdulAzeez Raji (17)
A passerby who attempted to rescue the victims sustained injuries and was rushed to the hospital before the arrival of firefighters.
“The deceased victims were recovered and handed over to the community chairman, Mr. Saadu Abdulrahim,” Adekunle noted.
Reacting to the incident, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, CFS Alabi Muhammed, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and described the tragedy as heartbreaking and avoidable.
“He condoled with the mothers of the deceased and the entire Laduba community,” the statement said.
Muhammed issued a strong warning against the storage of inflammable substances such as petrol in residential and commercial areas.
“Petrol is highly volatile and can ignite explosively even from minimal heat or sparks,” he cautioned.
He urged residents to keep flammable materials far from fire sources, avoid domestic fuel storage, and promptly report unsafe practices to authorities to prevent future tragedies.
“The Kwara State Fire Service remains committed to public safety and calls on all residents to strictly adhere to fire safety regulations to avoid preventable loss of lives and property,” the statement concluded.
