Two children have been reported dead after a late-night fire engulfed a makeshift settlement behind Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Rumuola, contrary to social media claims that the institution itself was affected.
Authorities clarified that the fire incident occurred in a cluster of temporary structures housing about 27 families behind the school, not within the polytechnic premises as widely circulated online.
The incident happened around 9 p.m. on Sunday. Eyewitnesses said the fire started in a room where a mother had left her four children locked in while she stepped out to get items to add to a meal she was preparing. A candle left burning in the room is believed to have sparked the blaze.
Two of the children were asleep at the time, while the other two were awake. The awake children reportedly attempted to rescue their siblings but were forced back by the intense heat and fled. The two younger children, aged eight and six, were unable to escape and died in the inferno.
Several neighboring families also lost their homes and belongings. Some residents admitted they did not intervene to rescue the trapped children due to a prior disagreement with their mother, despite hearing the children banging on the door and calling for help.
The tragedy has raised fresh concerns over safety practices in informal settlements and the risks associated with leaving children unattended with open flames.
