A wild fire has claimed the life of a 9-year-old girl named Testimony in the Samakinwa area of Ondo town, Ondo State.
The incident occurred on Monday, April 14, 2025, at approximately 4:00 p.m. and was reportedly caused by an electrical fault.
Testimony, who was mentally challenged, was alone in one of the rooms of a four-bedroom apartment when the fire erupted.
According to reports, the girl had been locked inside the room by her guardian, who had left for church earlier in the day.
Eyewitnesses noted that despite desperate attempts by neighbours and local youths to rescue the girl, they were unable to get to her due to the door being securely locked.
The fire quickly spread throughout the building, destroying numerous belongings and trapping Testimony inside.
When the door was finally forced open, it was too late. Testimony’s body had been entirely consumed by the flames.
Her remains were found and laid out in a corner of the compound as devastated residents and family members gathered to mourn the loss.