Kero Explosion Kills Mum, Child In PH

Tragedy struck at Oroagbolu in Rumueme community of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State over the weekend when a middle aged woman and her only child died following an explosion from a kerosene lantern.

Madam Chioma Sam Raymond and little Miss Grace Raymond (3) died barely two weeks after a staff of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mrs Adline Ibama died in a similar incidence.

An eye-witness told The Tide that the incident occurred when Madam Chioma Raymond was lighting a kerosene lantern in her room with the little child standing beside her, unsuspecting that the content was adulterated.

The fire that ensured from the explosion, our source said, burnt the mother and child beyond recognition before neighbours would go for their rescue.

According to the source, the duo were rushed to the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH) but not  attended to and were referred to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital where they were confirmed dead.

Their bodies have since been buried.

Speaking in an interview with The Tide at the scene of the incident, one Mr Ndubuisi Nwangwe, complained that the victims may have survived if they were not denied admission at the BMSH, noting that before they could get to the UPTH they had died.

Mr Nwangwe called on the government to put in place strict measures to check adulterated kerosene in the state as many lives have been lost to such incidence of kerosene explosion.

Also speaking, Mr Ikechukwu Ibe wondered why adulterated kerosene is being allowed to circulate in the state.

He alleged that most cases of kerosene adulteration were traced to filling stations, stressing that government needs to check this situation as the common people  in the society who depend more on kerosene die on daily basis.

When contacted on phone, the state Police Command Pubic Relations Officer, DSP Ben Ugwuegbulam could not comment on the  issue immediately but promised to call back the reporter.