Father drowns, rescuing his underage son, who falls into well

In a last-minute effort to save his son, who mistakenly fell into a deep well, 49-year-old Mr. Fasasi Azeez, of the Offa local government area in Kwara State, has lost his life.

Azeez’s son, Kaleed, was reported to be fetching water from the deep well on Thursday evening when his legs mistakenly slipped and he fell into the well.

Fasasi, in a desperate attempt to rescue his son, jumped into the well.

Officers of the state fire service eventually brought the father out of the well while the son was still alive.

The spokesman of the State Fire Service, Mr. Hakeem Olakunle, who confirmed the incident in a statement in Ilorin on Friday, urged the general public to be more careful in their day-to-day activities and desist from sending under-aged children to fetch water in domestic wells.

The statement reads: “Kwara State Fire Service recovered the body of a 49-year-old man and also rescued a boy of about 12 years old from a domestic well.

“Today, February 22, 2024, a man of about 49-year-old, called Mr. Fasasi Afeez, and his son Kaleed Afeez of Gaa Jangbo, Igbonna Road, Offa, Offa local government area, Kwara state, fell into a domestic well, and we recovered the father dead while we were able to rescue the son alive at New Maselu Village, Offa.

“The terrible incident occurred this evening at about 04:11 PM (16:11 hrs), and the Brigade was summoned through an exchange telephone call by one Alhaji Taiye Gbadamosi living in that neighbourhood.

“However, firemen were able to recover the man dead from the well and later handed it over to one of the family members of the deceased.

“According to the report, the victim (a boy) went to fetch water from a domestic well, and during the process of fetching water, one of his legs suddenly slipped off the ground and eventually tumbled down into the well.

“Before the arrival of the fire service, his father, who was trying to rescue the victim, had his legs suddenly slip off the ground in the process and eventually tumble down into the well too.”

Meanwhile, the Director, Kwara State Fire Service, Mr. Falade John Olumuyiwa, expressed sadness over the incident and urged the general public to be more careful in their day-to-day activities.

“They should desist from sending underage children to fetch water from domestic wells.”