two children killed in fire while mother goes out to buy sugar

Three-year-old Emmanuel Samson of and his two months old sister, Rosemary Samson, who reside in Sosanya Street, Ifako, Gbagada, Lagos State, have been burnt to death.

The victims were reportedly killed by a stove fire in their parents’ one-room apartment around 10pm on Monday.

It was learnt that their father, Otunimi Samson, had not returned from work at the time of the incident, while their mother, Mercy Samson, was said to have gone to buy sugar at a shop on the street.

Mercy reportedly locked up the children inside the room. It was gathered that the woman, after buying the sugar, went to another shop to visit a friend for about 30 minutes when her neighbours rushed to call her that the apartment was on fire.

It was also gathered that officials of the Lagos State Fire Service from the Ilupeju Fire Station joined the residents in putting out the fire.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, said the corpses of the children had been deposited in a morgue and investigation was still ongoing.