Guest burnt to death in friend’s house

A 41-year-old man identified simply as Abdulfatai has been killed in an early morning inferno at Ile Alaparun Isale, Alore, Ilorin, Kwara State.

The deceased allegedly came to visit a friend and decided to spend the night when the incident happened around 1:00 am on Monday.

He was said to be trying to escape through the window protector when the fire caught up with him. His body was retrieved after residents broke the walls of the building.

A resident of the area told our correspondent that the victim was unable to escape due to intense smoke which rendered him unconscious.

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“He was killed but a couple with their children and a lady escaped. He was a transport union staff member giving tickets to motorcycle (Okada) operators.

“He was about to marry and has just introduced his fiancée to his family,” the resident said.

Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the state fire service, Hassan Adekunle, said the building contained about 35 rooms but only five were affected.

He said the body had been handed over to the family of the deceased at Ile Alate, Abayawo.

Adekunle said preliminary investigations revealed that “the fire was caused by spontaneous ignition in a room storing combustible materials, including petrol, batteries, and a tire inflator engine.

“The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade John, extends his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased and emphasised the critical importance of adhering to safety precautions to prevent fire hazards,” he added.