Five-year-old burnt to death in Edo

• Fire in Jos destroys police facility worth over N20 million

Ijorbgo Street in Upper Sokponba Road, Ikpobha Okha Local Council was on Sunday thrown into mourning following an unexplained inferno that razed down a bungalow killing a five- year-old boy.

The victim, whose identity could not be ascertained, was said to have been locked inside a room with his younger brother by their father, who hadgone out. But when contacted yesterday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Nkombe said he was yet to be briefed on the incident. It was learnt that there was a generating set and a cooking stove in the house but it couldn’t be confirmed if that was the cause of the fire.

An eyewitness and resident of the area, Omoye Oriameh, said the intensity of the fire prevented rescue for the victim, who was trapped in one of the rooms in the building.

Oriameh said they heard the children crying for help through the window and one of the neighbours had to used an axe to break down the door to rescue one of the children, who is currently receiving treatment in the hospital, while the other was stuck inside one of the rooms.

Oriameh said the Fire Service came late when the fire had completely razed down the building. The survivor, it was learnt yesterday, has been transferred to the Intensive Care Unit at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) for further treatment.

Meanwhile, property worth over N20 million were destroyed by a fire incident at a Counter-Terrorism Unit, Phase Two, of the Nigeria Police Force in Jos. Also gutted was one of the hostels accommodating over 40 operation officers.

The fire, which broke out at the weekend, engulfed one of the hostels housing mostly wives and children of over 40 operation officers, who were away on various security assignments.

Commanding officer of the Counter-Terrorism Unit, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Okere Daniel, who witnessed the incident, said though no life was lost, substantial part of the building, including personal belongings of the officers’ families, were completely destroyed before fire-fighters arrived to quench the inferno.

Speaking with The Guardian yesterday, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Deputy Superintendent Tyopev Terna, said investigation into the disaster was still ongoing. .

Tyopev, however, explained that preliminary investigation revealed that there was a spark from the electricity pole, adding that when the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) restored power, the electricity box serving the room could not carry the high voltage, leading to fire outbreak.