By Michael Chukwuebuka, Reporting
DETAILS have emerged on how an Onitsha trader, his wife, mother-in-law, two children and an apprentice perished in their new building at Nkwele Ezunaka in Anambra State, Nigeria.
Sources said the man, Mr Ifeanyi, from Enugu State, who’s a trader at the Onitsha Bridge Head Market, had perfected a surprise package for his wife who had just been delivered of a new baby.
They said the deceased, Ifeanyi, as part of the surprise package, had decided to move into his new house at Nkwele Ezunaka to celebrate the birth of his new baby and the new house altogether.
It was gathered that following a blackout from the public power source, Ifeanyi decided to switch on the generating set on the veranda close to the bedroom for power supply.
Earlier, the family had merried all the night before retiring to bed where they slept off and left the generating set still working.
Came the following morning, a family friend, who had missed the night’s conviviality, arrived but met the doors locked from within while the generating set was still on.
With no response from within after ceaseless knocks, the visitor alerted some neighbours who forced the door open and saw the lifeless bodies of the family members.
The victims were swiftly conveyed to the Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha, as Ifeanyi’s wife and one of the daughters were still a bit conscious.
They were later pronounced dead after fruitless effort to resuscitate them.
Stonix News gathered that gathered the only survivor of the lot was the four-day-old baby whose births celebration had coincided with the opening of the new house.
Chairman of Onitsha Bridgehead Drugs Market, where Ifeanyi was trading, Mr Ndubuisi Chukwuneta, reportedly confirmed the tragic incident.
He described Ifeanyi as a hardworking young man, who had desired the best for his family.
On his part, manager of St. Charles Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha, Rev. Fr. Izunna Okonkwo, confirmed that only the new-born-baby was in stable condition as of the time the victims were rushed to the hospital.
According to him, four of the victims were confirmed dead on arrival at the hospital.
