A fire incident, yesterday, claimed the life of a mother and her four children; two boys and two girls in Warri, Delta State.
Mrs. Kayode, wife to resident Pastor of Christ Apostolic Church, CAC, Otumara Brach, Warri, Delta State, Pastor John Kayode, together with her four kids were burnt to death in the midnight hours of yesterday at their place of worship in Emiko Close, Angle park.
Narrating the story to news men, Bright December, who lives close to the church revealed that the fire started at 11p.m., Wednesday night, ” some men were going around, it was like they noticed there was light problem, they were like trying to trace where the fault could have come from.
” They couldn’t get where the fault was coming from, they left. At about midnight to 12:30am, I heard the woman screaming for help, so we came out.”
According to Bright, he dashed out to help his neighbours (the victims), but on getting there, he was unable to enter the heavily protected building.
“By the time it was possible to gain entry, the boys and a girl were already burnt in one room, while the second girl and mother died in the other room,” Bright said.
Mrs Margeret Ichibo, a church member, said:
“I left the Church after prayers with her (Kayode) on Wednesday. That was in the day. I rushed back few minutes to 1 a.m., and fire fighters were just labouring to break in, but it was too late.
“National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, personnel tried to evacuate the bodies, but we advised that police be informed first.
“By the time police came, NEMA had switched off their phones. It took the courage of youths in the neighbourhood and some of the fire service to bring out the bodies between 5 and 6a.m.
“The bodies have been deposited at the Warri Central Hospital Mortuary.”