It was a bleak evening for residence of Ifesowapo community, Tanke, Ilorin, Kwara state capital on Wednesday as four children of the same parents and their mother were roasted to death in a fire that gutted their apartment.
By providence, the only surviving child of the family is said to be on admission at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital. The father was away from home when the incident occurred
Ifesowapo community is behind "F" Division Police Station in Tanke.
Most residents of Tanke, Fate, and the surrounding areas of Ilorin have been in darkness for almost one week now following the rainstorms that damaged by electric poles of the areas.
It was gathered that the tragedy occurred as the family resulted to candle light which burnt out while they were fast asleep.
Accounts from the residents said the fire from the candle light consumed all domestic items in the room and eventually spread into the room where the mother and her children were sleeping. They were burnt to death.
Although men of the State fire service were said to have swung into action when they got the distress call about the incident, much damage had already been done before their arrival.
The chairman of Ifesowapo Community, Awodun Yinka who spoke with journalists at the scene of the incident yesterday said that, they heard the noise from the apartment and they rushed down but they were unable to rescue the children.
He said, "We didn't know about the tragedy on time. By the time we saw the smoke and rushed to the apartment to see what was happening, thick smoke had already enveloped the apartment and we couldn't rescue any member of the family.
"It was then we made the distress calls to the office of the state fire service, by the time they arrived, the havoc has been done"
He however confirmed that, the tragedy was caused by the candlelight which spread across the room while the family was already asleep adding that, "the inferno was not caused by power surge.".
Yinka noted that, "the whole Tanke area, ilorin have been on blackout for past few days now due to the rainstorm that damaged some electric poles in the area".
Also, the landlord of the house, Mr. Ibrahim Gana, who sustained injury in an attempt to rescue the family members from the inferno appealed to the state government to assist them, especially the only survivor, who is currently receiving treatment at the University of Ilorin Teaching hospital.
He also appealed to the state government to come to their aid so as to give good medical attention to the only surviving child.
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