Inferno claims father, daughter's life

One Adalaja Tunje a Nigerian national residing in Touba Sanchaba has died along with his eight-year-old daughter from a serious fire outbreak last Saturday morning between the hours of 1:00 to 2:00 am.

According to Eze Prince, an immediate neighbour of the deceased who participated in the rescue operation, the fire started in the early hours of last Saturday when he heard a knock on the door next to his house, and woke up to realize there was fire in his neighbour's house. He said he then rushed out to call the attention of the neighbourhood for support, but that all efforts to get in touch with the Manjai fire service station proved futile.

He said it was thanks to the intervention of police at the Bakoteh police station, who called the Churchill's Town fire service station and within minutes they came, and finally extinguished the fire.

"I helped to take the man to the Sukuta Health Center with the support of some good neighbours, but they asked for a police report before handling the matter. We went to the Bakoteh Police Station for a police report, but he was already dead before we arrived." According to Prince Eze, the man's eight-year-old girl also died in the fire, but Eze could not state the cause of the fire.

Prince Eze added that he received serious injuries in the fire incident whilst helping to put out the fire. "I have injuries all over my body. My hands and foot are seriously wounded, but thanks to the support of the RVTH, I am now doing better."

This reporter was also informed that the victim's wife and the other kids have vacated the house, and are staying somewhere around Sukuta with her brother. This reporter tried to meet the wife, but could not.