How Candle Fire Killed Two Kids In Lagos

It was a black Sunday for the residents of Bola Oyewo Street, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos State, yesterday after two siblings were killed in a fire incident.

The kids were identified simply as four-year-old Olawale Akingbesote and his brother, Adesire, aged 2.

Our correspondent learnt that the deceased, their elder brother and their mother were together around 9pm on Saturday.

It was gathered that the mother went out to buy some items in the neighbourhood after the children had gone to sleep.

She was said to have lit a candle to illuminate the apartment before leaving as there was power outage.

While the mother was away, the candle burnt down and consumed a table it was placed on. It later spread to the clothes beside the table.

Firefighters from the Lagos State Fire Service, officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and policemen from the Iju Police Division responded to distress calls from residents, but the two kids had died before help could come their way.

The unnamed elder brother was, however, rescued with the support of the residents, while the fire was eventually put out.