By Francesca Hangerior
The Lagos State Police Command has begun an investigation into the circumstances leading to a three-year-old simply identified as Michael burning to death when a fire resulting from a melted candle razed down their compound at Olorunsogo Street, Ejigbo, in Lagos State.
It was gathered that the incident occurred at about 11:10 p.m. on Saturday.
Our correspondent also learnt that a candle in one of the apartment’s rooms had melted, causing the tragedy.
A police source told our correspondent 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.”
A resident in the area, simply identified as Dapo, stated that the Lagos State Fire Fighters 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.”
When contacted, the state’s command Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.
He added that everything was under control and that the area was being watched while an investigation was ongoing.
Hudeyin said, “The area is being monitored while the situation is under control. An investigation is ongoing.
Recall that about 11 families were rendered homeless when a fire resulting from a gas explosion razed down their homes in the Ojokoro area of Lagos State.
The fire, which started around 2 p.m., was said to have erupted from the cooking gas of one of the occupants who was frying meat in a section of the building before the cooking oil went up in flames and razed down the 14-room apartment.