2 Kids Burnt To Death In Lagos As Fire Razes Storey Building

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News From The State Tuesday, August 12th, 2014

Two children have been burnt to death at Mafoluku area of Lagos, Nigeria, says the Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe.

Fadipe says the two children, aged 2 each got burnt when a storey building they reside at No.43, Salami Street, Mafoluku area of Oshodi, Lagos got razed down by fire around 8:38pm on Monday

He gave the name of the deceased as Joe Chukwu and Monadi Samuel who came to stay with their grandfather for the holiday.

African Examiner gathered that the children were locked in the two-bedroom flat upstair after their grandfather went out to purchase certain item. A lit candle fell and caught fire, with the children unable to escape from the flat and got burnt to death before fire service men could arrive the scene.

The old man is said to have fled the house after he got wind that the children kept under his care had been burnt to death.

Mrs Ada Patrick, mother of one of the children said the other child belong to a relation as the children came to stay with the family for the holiday.

According to Director, Lagos State Fire Service, occupants of the building failed to notify the fire service on time leading to serious damage on the house as the first floor of the building was consumed by the inferno.

“We got a distress call around 8:38pm last night and when we got there, we discovered that it was a storey building on fire. The top floor has two bedroom apartment and four single rooms, while the ground floor has two bedroom and six single rooms. They did not call us on time when the fire occurred,” he stated.

He explained that the fire was caused by a candle stick which was lit by the family, saying the candle stick fell and resulted in the fire, adding that two water tanks of 10,000 litres each were used in putting the fire, adding that the Isolo and Ilupeju Fire Stations were involved in putting out the fire, saying that the top floor of the building was razed, especially the two bedrooms flat in the top floor housing the deceased children and their family.

Fadipe urged Lagosians to stop using candle in their houses as it could be very dangerous, saying that they could purchase cheap rechargeable lamp that would be more useful for them at night.

Fadipe disclosed that the fire service responded to five emergencies overnight, out of which fire consumed a kitchen of a storey building at Shaba Court, Lagos Island, urging members of the public to be conscious about fire outbreak.

According to Fadipe, On Sunday night also, the fire servicemen responded to four emergencies, out of which fire destroyed a storey building at No. 24 Glover Road, Ikoyi and Block 68, Flat 5/6, Ijaiye Low Cost Housing Estate, Pen Cinema, Agege where a family of five was rescued alive through the window.

He added that a seven-year old child was roasted by the fire, while appealing to the public to be safety conscious.