A five-year-old boy accidentally set a duplex on fire while playing with matches in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, on Monday.
The incident occurred at Abiodun Adebiyi Close, off Yidi Road, in the Irewolede area of Ilorin West Local Government. One of the rooms in the building was completely burnt before firefighters arrived to prevent further damage.
An eyewitness, Lanre Abdulrazaq, who was working nearby, described the scene: “We just noticed thick smoke coming from the building and quickly raised an alarm. We didn’t know what caused the fire, but the fire service arrived and put it out.”
The spokesman for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed that the fire was caused by the child, who accidentally dropped a lit matchstick on a flammable material, sparking the flames.
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“On Monday, 3rd February 2025, at about 5:32 PM, we received a distress call about a fire outbreak in Ilorin,” Adekunle stated.
“Our firefighters responded swiftly and managed to contain the fire, preventing it from spreading to other rooms and buildings. Only one room was affected.”*
The Director of the Fire Service, Prince Falade John, praised the firefighters for their quick response.
He also urged parents to keep matches away from children, warning that “a single matchstick can destroy an entire building.”
The Kwara State Fire Service reassured residents of its commitment to protecting lives and property through rapid emergency response.
