3-year-old boy burns to death in candle-caused building fire

The incident occurred at about 11:10 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2024, when a candle in one of the apartment’s rooms melted, causing the tragedy.

A police source privy to the incident stated that the fire destroyed 10 rooms within the compound and destroyed properties worth millions of naira.

“The fire was caused by a candle that was lit, which later melted in one of the rooms. The room caught fire, and it spread to the other 10 rooms in the compound. As a result of the fire, one child named Michael, a three-year-old son of Mr. Ayo got burnt completely. Also, property worth millions of naira got burnt in the inferno,” the police source, who spoke on a condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorised to do so, was quoted as saying.

According to a resident in the area, Dapo, the Lagos State Firefighters and other relevant agencies were present at the scene, adding that the Lagos State Ambulance Service evacuated the boy’s remains.

He said, “The houses in the compound burnt totally and the small boy burnt completely. Candles are not advisable to use at all because I wonder how just one candle destroyed millions of naira.

“A team of police officers, firefighters, and Lagos State Ambulance Services visited the scene, and the fire was later put out by the firefighters. The Lagos Ambulance Service took away the remains of the boy.”

Confirming the incident, Lagos Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin said everything was under control and that the area was being watched while an investigation was ongoing.