A devastating tragedy unfolded in Nkwelle Ezunuka, Oyi Local Government Area near Onitsha, as a family's joyous celebration of their first night in their new home turned into a nightmare. Ifeanyi, his wife Amaka, their two children, Amaka's mother, and an apprentice lost their lives to poisonous fumes from a generator, leaving only their four-day-old baby as the sole survivor.
On Thursday night, July 20, 2023, the family was celebrating happily in their new house when the electricity went off. To continue the celebration, Ifeanyi set up a generator outside their bedroom, unaware of the tragic consequences that awaited them.
As the night progressed, they went to sleep without turning off the generator, and the deadly fumes filled the house while they slept. Sadly, they didn't wake up the next morning. A friend who was supposed to join the celebration found the doors locked and the generator still running. Alarmed, the friend alerted neighbors, and upon breaking into the house, they discovered the family unconscious. Tragically, Ifeanyi, Amaka, their children, and Amaka's mother had already passed away, along with the apprentice.
[figure id="attachment_943874" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-943874" style="width: 746px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"]
The four-day-old baby miraculously survived the ordeal and was rushed to St. Charles Borromeo Hospital in Onitsha, where the child is now in stable condition. Unfortunately, despite the hospital's best efforts, Amaka and one of the daughters couldn't be saved and were declared dead.
Authorities are currently investigating the incident, and further details will be disclosed after their inquiry is complete.
According to a source, "The entire family was in their new mansion celebrating when suddenly there was a power outage. The man had to put on the generator stationed at the verandah close to the bedroom. The celebration continued into the night before they all slept off and didn't remember to switch off the generator. The next morning, a friend who was supposed to join them in the celebration but couldn't meet up, went to the deceased's house only to discover that the doors were locked with the generator still on. After knocking for some time without response, he alerted other neighbors who forced the door open and saw the lifeless bodies. It was only the four-day-old baby that survived. The wife and one of the daughters were still unconscious when they were rushed to the hospital, but efforts to resuscitate them, including placing them on oxygen, failed, and they were pronounced dead."
See more photos below:
