A tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, where a 30-year-old man, Olabosun Isiaka, died following a fire outbreak caused by a fallen high-tension electricity wire.
The incident reportedly happened between 4am and 5am in the Yakuba area after a high-tension wire supplying power to the neighbourhood snapped. Residents said the cable had earlier shown signs of failure and had been reported to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, but no action was taken.
An eyewitness, Seyi Adunbarin, disclosed that the wire eventually broke and fell onto other connected lines, triggering a fire that quickly spread to nearby buildings. Residents rushed to salvage their belongings and attempted to cut off electricity supply to limit the damage.
According to him, Isiaka lost his life during efforts to remove a fuse amid the chaos.
The deceased, a graduate of Kwara State Polytechnic, had recently completed his National Youth Service Corps programme in December and was said to be striving to build his future.
His younger brother also sustained burns while escaping the fire and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The case was reported to the police in Oke-Oyi, while Isiaka’s remains were deposited in a mortuary in Oyun after his parents arrived from Lagos.
Confirming the incident, the Kwara State Fire Service said the fire was caused by a fallen high-tension wire, which has since been fixed by electricity distribution company officials.
Residents have, however, called for accountability, urging authorities to investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice.