Three children have lost their lives following a devastating fire outbreak that engulfed parts of a storey building in Laduba community, Ogidi area of Ilorin, Kwara State.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at about 6:46 p.m. at No. 1 Popo Street, beside Ojere Junction, prompting an emergency response from the Kwara State Fire Service.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Sunday, the Public Relations Officer and Head of the Media Unit of the Service, Hassan Adekunle, disclosed that the fire was caused by the alleged storage of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) inside one of the shops in the building.
According to Adekunle, the affected structure comprised five rooms and six shops, with three ground-floor shops completely destroyed by the inferno.
Preliminary investigations revealed that a woman had purchased approximately 50 litres of petrol and stored it inside a shop where her three children were sleeping. Trouble began when sparks from a charcoal stove being used by another woman in an adjoining shop spread to the petrol storage area, triggering a powerful explosion and subsequent fire.
The fire claimed the lives of Abdulraman Jamiu Jeje (8 years), Islamiya Abdulwahab (17 years), the daughter of the shop owner, and Hadizah AbdulAzeez Raji (17 years).
In the official statement, the Fire Service noted that a passerby who attempted to rescue the victims sustained injuries and was rushed to the hospital before firefighters arrived. The remains of the deceased children were later recovered and handed over to the community chairman, Mr. Saadu Abdulrahim.
Reacting to the tragedy, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, CFS Alabi Muhammed, expressed deep sorrow and condoled with the bereaved families and the entire Laduba community. He described the incident as heartbreaking and avoidable.
The Director strongly warned members of the public against storing inflammable substances such as petrol in residential or commercial buildings, especially near open flames or heat sources, stressing that petrol is highly volatile and can ignite explosively even from minimal sparks.
He urged residents to adhere strictly to fire safety guidelines, avoid domestic fuel storage, and promptly report unsafe practices to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The Kwara State Fire Service reaffirmed its commitment to public safety and called on residents to comply with fire safety regulations to avert preventable loss of lives and property.
