COUPLE LOSES THREE CHILDREN TO FIRE IN IBADAN

The night guard in the area reportedly raised alarm and alerted the community when the midnight fire which also affected other rooms in the ‘face-to-face’ building, just as sources said it began as a result of a spark from an electrical structure.

Penpushing further reports that, other sources said a lit candle might have been responsible for the fire, and when journalists visited the scene, two single-face gas cookers that had been razed were seen.while the police had evacuated the remains of the three children.

Speaking with journalists, a resident of the building, Adeola, whose room  was also torched by the fire said, “we were all sleeping when the night guards called our attention to the fire incident from outside around few minutes to 1 a.m’.

‘We were shocked and we ran for safety only to realise that the children of Mr Tunde and Mrs Christianah Emmanuel; Glory, Samuel and the youngest Darasimi, were locked inside their room’, the tenant said.

“Then, people made efforts to rescue them and somehow quench the fire with water. But this was not enough as the fire kept on ‘blaring’. Glory attempted to escape and possibly rescue his other siblings, but the door was locked from outside with a big padlock.

“As much as neighbours attempted to rescue them, they were kept away by the force of the fire before things turned awry. The water we were trying to use seemed like fuelling it the more.The fire-fighters had difficulties getting here because most gates leading to this area had been locked. So, it was tasking getting here on time, though their efforts with two trucks of water eventually quenched it (fire).”

Penpushing also reports that, the Oyo State Police Command  Public Relations Officer Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the incident, adding, “on 3rd January 2020, at the early hours, there was a fire incident at No 6, Orisunbare street, Eyin Grammar Ibadan where three children, Glory Emmanuel, female, aged 14 years; Samuel Emmanuel, male, aged eight years; and Darasimi Emmanuel, female, aged three years of the same mother were burnt to death in an eight-room apartment. The police have commenced investigation as to the cause of the fire incident.”

Meanwhile, community sources said the parents of the deceased children were reportedly on night duty when the tragedy happened.