Tragedy: 4 Children Of Same Parents Die In Fire Disaster In Anambra

Ignatius Okpara, Awka – Tragedy struck on Friday at Umuele Umudim, in Nnewi, Anambra State, as four children of same parents were roasted to death by a mystery fire that razed their three-bedroom apartment.

African Examiner gathered that their parents were not around when the disaster occurred on the ground floor of a storey building in the afternoon.

The victims, whose names were given as Chioma Ofomata, 6 years old, Goodness, and Mercy Ofomata who were twins, 3, and Ifeoma, 2, all females were allegedly locked inside the apartment by their mother, Mrs. Chinemerem Ofomata, who was said to have gone to have a share of Christmas rice gift meant for widows in the community.

Their father, Mr. Anthony Oformata, a vulcanizer, had already gone out to work with two of their male children Kosy, and Ebuka when the ugly incident happened.

Narrating the incident to newsmen in Nnewi, the 57-year-old father of the victims, said he was returning home around 6pm on Friday and saw a crowd at his residence, which is isolated from other buildings.

According to him, it was only his family that occupied the entire building, adding that as he approaches the building, he saw flames every where, and sympathisers struggling to destroy the doors and windows and the iron burglary proofs to rescue the four children in the midst of the raging fire to no avail.

He said his wife did not tell him where she was going to and did not know that the children were locked inside the house.

A resident of the area who do not want to be quoted, said before people could notice what was happening in the building it was already too late.

“People only noticed the incident because of the heavy flames that were coming out of the windows, indicating that the children had already been consumed by the inferno before help could come.

“Probably, when they were crying for help, nobody heard them. the source said.

“when the door was finally forced open, the charred bodies of the children were seen mangled together at one corner of the house where they had run to possibly thinking they would be saved there.

Mother of the victims said the door was actually locked outside to restrict movement of the children, saying it wasn’t the first time the children were locked inside.

She said she locked them inside after having a meal with them and set out for the sharing of the rice, denying that it was meant for widows alone.

However, as at the time of filing this report, the actual cause the fire was yet to be ascertained.

According to her, “The rice was meant for everybody, not widows alone. If you like go and find out. I don’t know what caused the fire,” she said, when the police led her to the scene of the incident for investigation after being arrested.

Meanwhile, the burnt remains of the children have been deposited in a near by mortuary, just as the police are now investigating the possible cause of the ugly incident.