Ibadan — It was a narrow escape for a family of seven at Oluyoro Alaadorin, in Ibadan, Oyo State capital on Thursday night as fire gutted their living room.

However, the entire family comprising the breadwinner, his wife and children are currently at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan where they are receiving treatment for varied degrees of burns they suffered in the inferno.

Sympathisers including other residents told newsmen that Mr. Kehinde Raji and his family members had gone to bed early and were fast asleep in the night when their lantern suddenly exploded at about 9.00pm.

Consequently, the ensuing inferno gutted him alongside his wife who recently gave birth, the wife's mother who had come to assist in nursing the two-week old baby and his siblings.

An eye witnesses, Mr. Kamoru Ige, whose room was next to the victims', said he heard the family screaming for help, but he could not reach them, because their door was locked from inside.

"I eventually opened the door by kicking it and immediately it gave way, Kehinde held the door for his family to rush out. In the process of saving them, my wife rushed to inform me that my own children were in the next room and so I ran to rescue them as well. They all came out, but with serious burns. My children are alright, but I could not save any of my property."

Mr. Lukman Adediran, the landlord of the house, however, regretted the manner in which houses are built in the locality without consideration for access routes.

It was gathered that efforts by men of the Oyo State Fire Brigade to save the gutted apartment was truncated as their vehicle could not reach the vicinity due to the haphazard manner at which structures obstructed access to the area.

Confirming the incident, Mrs. Olayemi Akindele, a fireman, from the Fire service Control Room told journalists that distress call was received from residents of the area.

Also, spokesperson of the UCH, Mr. Femi Bobade said: "It is true that they were brought in yesterday (Thursday) night in very bad shape, but they are presently receiving treatment."