A tragic incident has shaken the Papalanto community within Ewekoro Local Government Area in Ogun State.
A transformer explosion claimed the life of nine-year-old Jomiloju Taiwo and left his seven-year-old sister, Pipeloluwa Taiwo, with severe burns.
According to a report, the explosion, which occurred around 1:33 PM on Wednesday, unfolded moments after the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company had restored power supply to the area following an outage.
The explosion’s impact was devastating, not only claiming the life of young Jomiloju but also causing significant injuries to his sister.
Reports indicated that shortly after power was restored, a loud noise erupted from the transformer, signaling the start of the calamity. The blast, accompanied by fire, tragically gutted the Nicholas family’s nearby residence.
The heart-wrenching discovery was made by the children’s mother, who arrived at the scene to find her two children unconscious on the kitchen floor amidst the aftermath of the explosion.
Desperate attempts were made to rush the children to the hospital. However, Jomiloju succumbed to his injuries before medical aid could be administered. Pipeloluwa was left with severe burns on her feet and hands, necessitating urgent medical attention.
Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the tragic incident, highlighting the harrowing sequence of events.
“It happened on Wednesday. It was reported to the police on Thursday. One of the children died before he could be taken to the hospital. The younger one sustained burns on the legs and hands and was taken to a hospital in Lagos,” stated Odutola.