Two people, a 65 years old woman and her 12 years old house help have died in Anambra State, after inhaling fumes from a charcoal fire, ignited to keep them warm and away from the cold weather.
SP Haruna Mohammed, the spokesperson of the Anambra State Police command’s public relations officer said the two were discovered dead in their room on Wednesday by neighbours, after they failed to wake up in the morning.
Haruna said, “Today (Wednesday) being 15/7/2020 there was a report at Aguata Police Station by one Bernard Ezeuboaja ‘m’ of Umuchiana village, Ekwulobia in Anambra State that on the same date at about 9:am, he discovered that his wife one Obiageli Ezeuboaja ‘f’ aged 65 years and her house boy dead.
“The woman and her house help, one Chikamso ‘m’ surname unknown aged about 12 years never woke up from sleep since the previous night. As a result, he opened the door and discovered their lifeless bodies.
“Following the report, Police detectives attached to Aguata division visited the scene and rushed victims to the hospital for medical attention but they were all certified death on arrival by a medical doctor.”
Haruna said that preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased set a charcoal fire to warm the room due to cold weather, leaving all the windows closed and without ventilation.
He added that the charcoal container used in setting the fire was recovered as exhibit while corpses of the deceased persons have been deposited at Ekwulobia hospital mortuary for autopsy.
“Investigation is ongoing to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident,” he said.