A 6-year-old boy has died in a fire at Awka Street in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Thursday, while his mother who frantically tried to save the child is recovering in the hospital
An eyewitness report from a man who identifies himself as John states “the fire had begun at about 1.30am.”
John told sources from the Punch tabloid that “the fire razed most part of the building because neighbours who would have come to the rescue of the mother and child were fast asleep when the incident occurred.”
He attributed the fire outbreak to adulterated kerosene, which exploded in a stove.
“Yes, a child actually died. The mother of the child, who tried to rescue him sustained severe injury. The woman was shouting Emmanuel, Emmanuel while she was being rushed to the hospital,” John said.
The Information Officer of the National Emergency Management Agency in the state, Mr. Victor Akpakpan, said that they had not been informed of the fire outbreak.