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Family loses all three children to unknown fire outbreak in Benue

The father said the fire had “surged covering the whole room where my kids were sleeping” and had burnt his face trying to save them.

• December 17, 2021
Burning building
A raging inferno on a building used to illustrate the story

The Benue Police Command on Friday confirmed the deaths of three children from a fire disaster in Otukpo, Otukpo LGA of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Sewuese Anene, made the confirmation on Friday in Makurdi.

An eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity said the accident occurred in a two-bedroom flat of Jesus College Quarters, home of the father of the victims, Ochoche Ode, at around 1:00 a.m.

According to Mr Ode, the fire was noticed midnight on Friday by his wife’s younger sister who perceived the smell that something was burning while three of his kids were asleep.

He said that he was in one of the rooms with his wife when they were alerted of the incident.

“As I was about going to find out what was happening, the fire surged covering the whole room where my kids were sleeping and in an attempt to force myself into the room to rescue the children; my face got badly burnt.

“All attempts by neighbours to quell the fire failed and all my three children were burnt to death,” Mr Ode said, with the cause of the fire still unknown. 

(NAN)

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