Tears flow as family of seven died of generator fume in Edo

Tragedy struck in the early hours on Tuesday in Benin City as a family of seven were reportedly died as a result of smoke from the generator in their apartment.

The incident occurred at Akpata Street in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, when the family was said to have put on a generator in their kitchen on Monday night and left it running throughout the night.

It was gathered that some neighbours raised an alarm when the lifeless bodies of the family were seen lying in their apartment when the door was forced opened.

The lifeless bodies of the occupants which were brought to the Benin Central Hospital however attracted sympathizers who resulted to prayers for God’s intervention, while their bodies were however deposited at the Benin Central Hospital amidst weeping and wailing from the sympathizers.

But the father of the deceased, identified as Tochukwu Okwueze, was said to have been taken to a hospital in the Eweka area of Benin for medical attention, after he was found to be in a state of coma.

One of the relatives of the deceased, Vincent, explained: “My younger one called me from Lagos and asked me what was happening. I said that I did not know. So, he told me to go the house, that something unpleasing to the ears had just happened.

“So, I call her (deceased woman) line, but it was somebody else that picked the call and told me that they slept and did not wake up. I stay at Evbuotubu area, so I went to the place.

“The whole family was affected. But the police told me that the father survived it. They said that though his case was serious, if there was the need to rush him to University of Benin Teaching Hospital, they would call me. It is a family of seven. The youngest is a set of twins.”

Meanwhile, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Johnson Kokumo, confirmed the incident to the newsmen.