A fire outbreak caused by a child playing with a lighter destroyed part of a residential building in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Thursday, prompting renewed warnings from authorities about the dangers of leaving children unsupervised around ignition sources.
The incident occurred at a three-bedroom apartment located on Aduagbemi Street, behind the Uniform Company, off Asa-Dam Road in Ilorin, according to the Kwara State Fire Service.
Officials said the fire affected one room of the building before emergency responders arrived and successfully prevented the blaze from spreading to other parts of the property and neighbouring structures.
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In a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Ilorin, Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, firefighters received a distress call at about 5:08 p.m. and immediately mobilised to the scene.
According to Adekunle, preliminary investigations revealed that the fire started after a child gained access to a lighter and ignited pieces of paper inside the apartment.
The burning materials reportedly came into contact with nearby combustible items, causing flames to spread rapidly within the room.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was caused by a child playing with a lighter and using it to ignite pieces of paper. The burning paper subsequently came into contact with nearby combustible materials, resulting in a fire outbreak,” Adekunle said.
Residents in the area reportedly raised the alarm after noticing smoke and flames coming from the building.
By the time firefighters arrived, the fire had intensified, but emergency personnel were able to contain it before it engulfed the entire apartment block.
“The fire had already escalated before neighbours noticed the incident and raised the alarm. Upon arrival, firefighters swiftly brought the situation under control and prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the building and adjoining properties,” the statement added.
No casualties were recorded.
Following the incident, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, urged parents and guardians to exercise greater vigilance and ensure that children do not have access to potentially dangerous items capable of causing fires.
He stressed that matches, lighters and other ignition sources should be kept out of children’s reach at all times.
“Parents and guardians are advised to keep matches, lighters, and other ignition sources out of the reach of children. Children should be adequately supervised at all times and educated on the dangers associated with playing with fire,” Muhammed warned.
The latest outbreak adds to a number of residential fire incidents recorded in Ilorin in recent weeks, reinforcing calls for improved safety awareness and preventive measures in homes.
The Fire Service in Ilorin also encouraged residents to promptly report emergencies and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property through rapid response operations and sustained public enlightenment campaigns.
