Benin: two children killed, one survivor in tragic house fire in Ouinhi
Grief still hangs heavy over the village of Dasso, in the commune of Ouinhi, after a devastating fire claimed the lives of two children earlier this week.
According to reports from the national public daily on Thursday, the victims were quietly waiting for their meal inside the family hut when the fire broke out. Eyewitnesses say the blaze was likely triggered by a lighter used to reheat food, which quickly set fire to the dwelling.
The house, built from extremely fragile materials, offered no resistance to the flames.
“The children’s bodies were completely burned… It was unbearable,” said Noël Ezin, the first deputy mayor of Ouinhi, who visited the scene alongside a delegation from the communal council to offer condolences to the bereaved family.
One child survived
Ouinhi’s mayor, Jonas Houessou, confirmed that three children were inside the hut at the time of the fire. The eldest managed to escape just in time and alerted neighbors—an act that may have prevented an even worse tragedy. Unfortunately, the two younger children could not be saved.
In the wake of the disaster, the local council assisted the family with funeral arrangements, including the swift burial of the two victims due to the condition of the remains.
Now, the focus turns to the urgent need to rebuild the family’s home. Deeply moved, Mayor Houessou made a heartfelt appeal for solidarity: