A heart-wrenching incident occurred in the Oluwatuyi area of Akure, Ondo State, as two young siblings, Jelad Oluwaranakinse, aged five, and his younger brother, Jenson, aged three, lost their lives in a fire that engulfed their apartment.
The tragic incident happened when the children’s mother, Mrs. Deborah Oluwaranakinse, reportedly locked them inside the house and stepped out to purchase food.
Eyewitnesses revealed that while she was away, a fire broke out in the apartment, reducing the building to ashes with the two boys trapped inside.
Despite the frantic efforts of neighbors to extinguish the flames and rescue the children, their attempts proved unsuccessful.
According to a source, by the time the state fire service arrived, the fire had spiraled out of control, leaving little that could be salvaged.
The charred remains of Jelad and Jenson were later evacuated and taken to the morgue of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital in Akure.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, but the Ondo State Police Command has launched an investigation to uncover the source of the tragedy.
Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer Funmilayo Odunlami said, “The two male children left in the room were choked and burnt. Their mother locked them inside the house and went out to search for food. Investigations have commenced.”
This devastating incident has plunged the Oluwatuyi community into mourning, as residents struggle to come to terms with the loss of the young boys.
Further updates on the investigation are expected as the authorities continue to probe the circumstances surrounding the fire.