Pandemonium has broken out among the residents of the Umudim, Umuezeala community in Ehime Mbano local government area of Imo State, after a six-month-old female baby was burnt to death in a fire outbreak that rocked her parent’s apartment.
The father of the deceased child, Mr. Clement Anthony, said to be a tenant in the razed house told journalists that he was yet to decipher what led to the fire accident that killed their baby.
According to Vanguard, Anthony recalled that he went out with his wife to purchase drugs they wanted to administer on one of his children that was slightly sick.
The grief-stricken father said, “Honestly, I cannot say exactly what ignited the fire. My wife and I, went to a nearby medicine store to buy some drugs for our sick child. We returned only to behold the fire disaster.”
It was gathered that they came back only to see four of their children outside their apartment watching helplessly at the charred remains of their apartment.
On inquiry, the couple learnt that their new born baby was still lying in one of the rooms.
“I peeped through one of the holes on the door and noticed the raging flame. I went in through the window and not minding the huge flame, I rushed into the room where our baby girl was lying and brought her out, and handed her over to my wife,” lamented Anthony.
The baby’s mother rushed her to a nearby hospital but unfortunately, she was confirmed dead on arrival.
Anthony maintained that the loss of their baby caused them great pain despite the fact that they lost virtually all they laboured for in years.
The bereaved father stated that the timely intervention of his oldest child aged 8 years saved his entire children from being victimized by the fire whose cause is yet to be ascertained.
He said, “My other four children could have been victims of the raging fire if not for the prompt intervention of the eldest amongst them, who is just eight years old.”
