A midnight fire that gutted Tolory area of Railway Quarters, Enugu North Local Government, Enugu State has killed a four-year-old girl and burnt seven houses.

Daily Sun gathered that prompt intervention of the State Fire Service saved the entire neighbourhood from being burnt. Yesterday’s early hours inferno was the second in the Railway Quarters in three weeks with the first allegedly burning over 20 houses.

The mother of the victim Chinechereme, Mrs. Nwanneka Igbo, had in the midst of the confusion created by the fire outbreak pulled her and two other of her siblings to a safer place and went back to assist her husband, Emeka, to secure their property. Unknown to the couple, the little Chinecherem, walked back following the mother to their house, but due to the heavy smoke that engulfed the entire area, she missed her way and entered into another apartment where she unfortunately met her death as she was burnt beyond recognition.

On her return to the place she left the children, Mrs. Igbo discovered that Chinecherem was no more there and began to search for her to no avail. She felt that the girl might have been taken by someone to a safer location, but she was shocked when daughter’s burnt body was found in another apartment after the fire was fully put out. Speaking to newsmen at the scene of the incident, a leader in the neighbourhood, Julius Igbokwe, described the inferno as unfortunate. Igbokwe, said that it was caused by a candle fire that was lit by a nursing mother due to lack of electricity light. He said, “We were told that the woman slept off and the candle fell down, caught fire and the rest is now the story.”

Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Daniel Ndukwe, said the Command had received the report and has commenced investigation to ascertain the actual cause of the inferno. (Daily Sun)

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