The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the death of three members of a family from a fire outbreak in Otukpo, Otukpo Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Sewuese Anene, made the confirmation in Makurdi yesterday.
An eyewitness, who to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) 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, Mr Ochoche Ode, at about 1 am.
According to Ode, the fire was noticed 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 about 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,” Ode said. The cause of the fire outbreak was yet unknown at the time of filing this report.
