Two children narrowly escaped death on Thursday morning after a residential building collapsed in Ilorin, prompting fresh safety concerns from the Kwara State Fire Service over ageing and weak structures across the state.

The incident occurred at about 9:10 a.m. on Ajegunle Street, off Sabo-Line in the Isale area of Ilorin, involving a two-storey building comprising six flats.

According to the spokesperson of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, the agency received a distress call shortly after the building gave way.

Two children—eight-year-old Ahmad and 10-year-old Hussainat—who were trapped under the rubble were rescued by residents before the arrival of emergency responders. They were immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Firefighters who arrived at the scene commenced salvage operations, recovering valuables including clothing, food items, electronics, and important documents from accessible parts of the collapsed structure.

The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, who supervised the operation, expressed concern over the increasing number of structurally deficient buildings. He warned residents against ignoring early warning signs such as cracks and weakening foundations.

He stressed that property owners must take responsibility for ensuring the safety of their buildings through regular structural integrity checks and timely repairs.

Authorities disclosed that the caretaker of the building had earlier been alerted to its deteriorating condition before the incident occurred.

Following an assessment, the Fire Service recommended that the Disaster Management Unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps seal off the collapsed building. It also advised occupants of a nearby structure, found to be unsafe, to vacate within seven days.

Officials of the NSCDC promptly enforced the directive, sealing off the affected areas to prevent further casualties.

The Fire Service reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding lives and property, urging residents across Kwara State to remain vigilant and take proactive measures to prevent avoidable disasters.