…Father Collapses, Hospitalized on Hearing the Tragic News
Akure — Tragedy struck at Oluwatuyi Quarters in Akure, Ondo State, as two young siblings, aged three and five, were burnt alive in a fire that gutted their home.
The children were reportedly locked inside a room by their mother, who had gone to the market at the time of the incident.
Eyewitnesses said the fire broke out around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday and consumed the apartment before any assistance could reach the toddlers. Both were burnt beyond recognition.
A neighbour explained that the cries of the children were initially mistaken for their mother disciplining them.
“We heard the children crying, but we assumed their mother was scolding them. When the cries became too frequent, we decided to check and saw the house engulfed in flames. Unfortunately, it was too late to save them.”
Another resident suggested that the fire may have been caused by a gas leak, saying, “It’s possible their mother mistakenly left the gas on before leaving. Despite our efforts to extinguish the flames and rescue the children, the fire was too intense. The Fire Service was called, but by the time help arrived, it was too late.”
The children’s father, upon hearing of the tragedy, reportedly collapsed and was rushed to the hospital by neighbours.
The charred remains of the siblings were discovered near the entrance of the apartment after the fire was extinguished. Their bodies have been deposited at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMED) morgue in Akure.
The incident has left the community in shock, with many residents mourning the loss of the innocent children.
