Two minors have been burnt to d3ath in a fire that engulfed their apartment while their mother was away in Akure, Ondo State.
The incident happened on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 in the Oluwatuyi area of Akure.
Eyewitnesses alleged that the children, Jelad and Jenson Oluwaranakinse were locked inside their home by their mother, Mrs Deborah Oluwaranakinse, who had stepped out to buy food.
The fire broke out in her absence, reducing the apartment to ashes and claiming the lives of the two boys.
“When the fire started, the neighbours around made efforts to put it out and rescue the kids, but their efforts were unsuccessful,” an eyewitness recounted.
“People called the state fire service, but by the time they arrived, things had gone out of hand. The kids had died.”
The charred remains of the children were later evacuated and deposited at the morgue of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital in Akure.
Spokesperson of the State Police Command, Mrs. Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed the incident on Thursday, adding that said investigations were underway to determine the cause of the fire.
“The two male children left in the room were choked and burnt. One is Jelad Oluwaranakinse, aged five, and the second is Jenson Oluwaranakinse, aged three,” the PPRO stated.
“Their mother, one Mrs Deborah Oluwaranakinse, locked the two children inside their room and went out to search for food. An investigation has commenced.”
