Fire kill five in Bayelsa

Ogbia, the local government area of former President Goodluck Jonathan in Bayelsa State, has been thrown into mourning following the death of five persons from generator fumes and fire outbreak.

The Nation gathered on Thursday that a family of three involving a husband, his wife and a child died in Emeyal community after inhaling fumes from a generator.

Their corpses were reportedly discovered three days after their demise following offensive odour that emanated from their decomposing bodies.

A source from the area, who spoke in confidence, said: “The entire family slept on Sunday. There was no sign of them till Wednesday afternoon when we perceived foul smell from their house. The odour was saturating the entire neighbourhood and it got us curious.

“The family always kept to themselves and that was why nobody discovered their condition on time. Toxic gas from a generator killed them. They must have inhaled it over night. We called the police.

Confirming the incident, the police identified the deceased family name as Ibieneye Tubotamuno.

The state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Asinim Butswat, said bodies of the victims were discovered at about 3:50pm following distress calls to the police by people of the area.

Butswat, an Assistant Superintendent of Police said: “On 29th July, 2015 at about 1550hrs, policemen responded to a distress call, that a foul smell was oozing out of the house of one Ibieneye Tubotamuno, at Emeyal Community, in Ogbia LGA.

“The policemen forced the house open and discovered the dead bodies of Ibieneye Tubotamuno (34), Jennifer Asiagbuladia (30), and Goodluck Tubotamuno (8).

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased must have died about three days back, when they were last seen, as a result of inhaled fume from a generator exhaust, which was kept inside their living room.

“Corpses were deposited at the Federal Medical Centre, Mortuary, Yenagoa, for autopsy. Investigation is ongoing.”

Buswat also confirmed that fire outbreak killed two children at Otuoke, the community of former President Jonathan in Ogbia.

The victims are two young girls identified as Favour Agamawa (7) and Juliet Agamawa (6).

Buswat said the incident was reported to the police on Thursday at about 11:00am by one Ase Agamawa who was said to be the father of the deceased children.