MAN ELECTROCUTED, KILLED IN FIRE OUTBREAK CAUSED BY FALLEN HIGH-TENSION WIRE IN ILORIN

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

Tragedy struck in the early hours of Tuesday in Ilorin as a 30-year-old man, Olabosun Isiaka, lost his life in a fire outbreak reportedly triggered by a fallen high-tension electricity wire.

The incident, which occurred between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. in the Yakuba area of the Kwara State capital, was said to have been caused by a high-tension wire that snapped after allegedly being left unattended despite prior warnings.

An eyewitness, who identified himself as Seyi Adunbarin, claimed the faulty wire had earlier shown signs of imminent collapse and had been reported to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), but no action was taken before the incident.

“The high-tension wire had almost snapped for some time, and IBEDC had been notified about it. Nothing was done before it eventually snapped,” he said.

According to him, the snapped wire fell onto other connected lines, sparking a fire outbreak that spread rapidly to nearby buildings, forcing residents to scramble for safety and attempt to contain the damage.

“It fell on other wires and caused a fire outbreak. Some houses caught fire, and people were trying to remove their fuses to stop the electricity from worsening the situation,” he added.

Isiaka reportedly got caught in the inferno during the chaos and died from the injuries sustained. He was described as a graduate of Kwara State Polytechnic who had recently completed his National Youth Service Corps programme in December.

“He just finished his NYSC last December and was working hard to build his life. He was solely responsible for himself before this unfortunate incident,” the eyewitness lamented.

The fire also left his younger brother injured, with burns to his leg while attempting to escape. He is currently receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.

Residents further alleged that IBEDC officials arrived at the scene after the incident and swiftly carried out repairs under controversial circumstances.

“When IBEDC officials eventually came, they came with some thugs and started fixing the wire quickly so that no one would question their negligence,” the source claimed.

The case was reported to the police division in Oke-Oyi, while the remains of the deceased were later deposited in a mortuary in Oyun following the arrival of his family from Lagos.

Confirming the incident, the state fire service said the outbreak was caused by a fallen high-tension wire and that the situation had since been brought under control.

Spokesperson for the service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, stated, “It was a high-tension wire that fell to the ground, and it was fixed by IBEDC staff on April 7, 2026.”

Meanwhile, residents have called for a thorough investigation and accountability, urging authorities to ensure justice for the deceased.

“We want justice for Ismail. IBEDC officials should come forward and take responsibility for what happened,” they said.