A tragic fire in the Omotara Compound, Ori Eru, Idikan, within the Ibadan North West Local Government Area of Oyo State, claimed the lives of a 60-year-old man, his wife, and their eight-year-old grandson on Friday morning.
The residents of the area, shaken and devastated by the incident, described the scene as heart-wrenching, with the victims reportedly screaming for help until the very end.The fire started in the early hours of the morning, catching the family while they slept. According to neighbors, they first heard what they thought were cries for help from intruders, but quickly realized it was a fire raging through the home.
Bose Ayinde, a resident of the house, explained that the fire broke out around midnight. “We heard a loud cry for help — ‘e gba wa o!’ — and thought it was a robbery. But as we rushed outside, we saw that the house was on fire, and by the time we realized the severity of the situation, the flames were too intense to approach,” she said, visibly shaken. Alfa Aliu Omotara, who lives across from the burned house, recounted the panic he felt after hearing the family’s cries at around 3 a.m.
“The fire started in their living room, and by the time they realized, there was no escape. The couple and their grandson were trapped because the only exit, a window, was obstructed by iron bars, making it impossible for them to flee. Despite their desperate attempts to escape, they were unable to get out,” Omotara said. The tragic deaths were further compounded by the fact that the house’s main exit had been blocked with belongings, and the fire’s ferocity left residents unable to assist.
“The wife was the first to die, followed by the husband and their grandson. We could only watch helplessly as they screamed for help,” Omotara added. Residents also suggested that the fire might have been caused by an electrical fault, as the power supply in the area is usually on between 12:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. “The husband had been using a hotplate, and it’s believed he may have fallen asleep while cooking. He was a motorcyclist, and his wife sold provisions,” explained Mrs. Dupe Ajibade, another resident. “It’s such a loss. They were kind, well-liked people who never had problems with anyone in the neighborhood.”
Ajibade also highlighted the collective efforts of the community in attempting to contain the fire before it spread to nearby houses. “If it weren’t for the quick actions of those who tried to help, more homes would have been destroyed. The fire had already consumed the house by the time the fire service arrived.” The incident has left the community in shock, mourning the loss of three beloved family members.
