The many residents of Omotara’s Compound, Ori Eru, Idikan, in Ibadan North West Local Government Area, Oyo State, have recounted the tragic incident in which a 60-year-old man, known as ‘Baba Yunus,’ his wife, and their eight-year-old grandson, Samuel, were killed in a fire early Friday morning.
Describing the incident as devastating and sorrowful, the residents said the victims cried for help but were unable to escape due to a burglar-proofed window, which was their only exit. The intense flames prevented anyone from getting close enough to assist.
In an emotional interview with The Nation’s correspondent, Segun Showunmi, some residents expressed their grief, explaining that the fire was too severe to allow any rescue efforts.
Bose Ayinde, who also live inside the house that got burnt while narrating her ordeal said, “The fire started in the midnight when we have all slept off, we suddenly hear a loud voice “e gba wa o! e gba wa o!, we even thought it was thieves that came to our house, we woke up ourselves that thieves are around unknowingly to us that our house has caught fight.
“When we rushed out, we realised it was a fire, we couldn’t help the victims because the fire was so heavy to the extent that no one can even move close to it, we are very sad because both husband, wife and their grandson got burnt to death.”
Also, Alfa Aliu Omotara, who reside in a house directly opposite the burnt house said, “We suddenly heard the victims shouting fire! fire! in the midnight around 3pm, the fire started from their parlor, all our efforts to rescued them proved abortive.
“NEPA used to give us light between 12:30am to 6:30 in the morning. When the fire started, the victims started shouting for rescue, the couples slept inside the room but the fire started from their parlour, so, there was no other exit for them to go out except through the parlour because the exit in the room has been blocked with loads.
“If the exit door inside the room was free, though the victims belonging would burn but they will escaped, their efforts to escaped through the window proved abortive because of the burglary in the window, the wife died first, the husband and son came to the window shouting for help, we were downstairs looking at them upstairs, but we couldn’t help them because the fire was so heavy that no one can even move close to it.
“Its over 60 years that the house has been built, the owner of the house was a friend to my father. Baba Yunus and his wife are good person, they were easy going, since over 10 year they have been living in this area, no one hear about them fighting.
“The incident was a bitter and sorrowful experience for people in this area. People should be careful with fire, particularly electricity.
Also speaking, Mrs Dupe Ajibade said, The incident was a sad incident because those that lost their lives were good person, particularly the wife, she was so lovely and kind.
“The incident happened around 3pm when we heard a loud noise, if not for people in the area that tried their best to curtail the fire, all houses close to the area would have got burnt.
“The house has already being razed before the arrival of the fire fighter, the incident was a great lost, we busted into tears when body of the deceased who were burt to death by the fire body was laid on ground.
“We heard the husband was cooking with hot plate, he slept off during the process, there was light because I charged my phone around 12am in the midnight. Nobody can enter or rescued them because the fire was heavy. The husband, 60 years is a bike rider, while his wife sells provision.”
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