A kerosene fire has reportedly killed one and injured two siblings in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
The victims, WE4WE REPORTS learnt, were the children of Mr and Mrs Michael Anor.
The incident occurred on Sunday when fire started from one of the rooms after a keg of kerosene that was kept at the back of a deep freezer exploded.
A source stated, “The fire trapped the three children, who were in the flat, but they were eventually rescued with varying degrees of injury by firefighters, who extinguished the fire after they were alerted by neighbours.
“One of the children died from the injuries sustained from the inferno, while the other two have been transferred to the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Awka, for treatment.
The Chief Firefighter in the state, Mr Martin Agbili, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.
He said, “We received a distress call about a fire outbreak at the Brave-Heart Flats on the first floor of a three-storey building, opposite the Marian Plaza and close to the St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Iyiagu Estate, Awka.
“We deployed our firefighters and two fire trucks in the scene. We extinguished the fire, but three children in the flat were burnt and were rushed to the Prime Specialist Hospital, Awka.
“The cause of the inferno was a kerosene explosion, which emanated from a keg of kerosene kept at the back of a deep freezer. The building was also saved and we conducted post-fire risk assessment of the building.”