A five-year-old boy accidentally set a duplex on fire while playing with matchsticks in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State.
The incident occurred on Monday, February 3, 2025, at Abiodun Adebiyi Close, located off Yidi Road in the Irewole area of Ilorin West Local Government.
Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, spokesperson for the State Fire Service, provided details of the incident in a statement. He explained that the child was playing with matches and accidentally dropped a lit stick onto a flammable material, igniting the fire.
“On Monday, 3rd February 2025, at about 17:32 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service received a distress call about a fire at Abiodun Adebiyi Close, Off Yidi Road, Irewolede Area, Ilorin,” the statement read.
The fire service responded promptly, arriving at the scene to find one room of a five-bedroom duplex engulfed in flames. Thanks to the team’s expertise and swift actions, the fire was quickly contained, preventing it from spreading to other rooms or nearby buildings. Only one room was affected.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was caused by the young boy’s actions with the matches, which led to the ignition of a nearby combustible material.
Prince Falade John, Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, praised the firefighters for their quick and efficient response. He also urged the public to prioritize fire safety and advised parents to keep matches out of reach of children, stressing that even a single matchstick could cause devastating damage.
“The Kwara State Fire Service is committed to safeguarding lives and property with professionalism and rapid response to emergencies,” he added.
