Tragedy struck Okochiri community in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State on Friday morning when a fire outbreak killed a mother and her four children in their residence.
The cause of the fire could not be immediately ascertained as of the time of filing this report.
However, a source who spoke to PUNCH on condition of anonymity said the incident occurred when an individual attempted to discharge petrol into a jerrycan, but the product suddenly ignited.
The source also suggested that the petrol might have been bad fuel.
Confirming the incident in a chat, the Commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Okrika LGA, Igwe Godswill, said details of the incident were still sketchy.
Godswill, however, said when he arrived at the scene with his team, they found the lifeless bodies of the woman and her four children.
He stated, “We just heard the news this morning about the fire. There are no proper details as to what happened. But when we got there this morning, we saw that about four children and their mother, a total of five persons, were burnt and died.
“The police had already arrived and taken proper details of what happened. It is so disheartening that this is happening again in our community.”
According to Godswill, youths in the community had put out the fire by the time he arrived at the scene, adding that the occupants were believed to have died before the fire was extinguished.
He called for a proper investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“When we got there this morning, the fire had been put out and the police had already come to the scene. I believe a proper investigation will be carried out,” the Civilian JTF official said.
Meanwhile, a video of the incident showed a woman complaining about the cramped nature of the house, while the roof and other parts of the building appeared damaged.
The circumstances surrounding how the fire spread and whether the petrol reportedly involved in the incident was connected to the deaths remain unclear.
The incident comes amid reports of other fire outbreaks in parts of the country.
Earlier in September, several shops were destroyed by fire at the Pumpum Nuri Water Site in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State.
The fire broke out at the Pumpum Nuri Water Site and razed several shops before it was eventually brought under control.
The Rivers State incident has meanwhile left five members of the same family dead, with residents awaiting the outcome of investigations into the cause of the fire.I can also make it more investigative by focusing the opening on the suspected petrol ignition and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
