Victims Cry for Government Help as Generator Fire Consumes Building And 3 Children in Obudu

by crossriverwatch admin

Amateur photos from scene of accident — Amateur photo from scene of accident

Tragedy struck in the home of Mr. John Ugeli in Ohong village in Obudu Local Government on Saturday night when an attempt to fuel his power generating set resulted in an inferno that consumed his house and three of his boys in one fell swoop.

Mr. Ugeli, a teacher who is now recuperating in a hospital from burns that he sustained in a futile attempt to rescue his children told CrossRiverWatch that: “I can’t summon the courage to say anything now. I still can’t believe that I gave birth to three boys and three girls and all the boys are gone in one day and I will never see them again. Every parent will understand what I am going through now. May be I can talk some other time.”

According to eyewitnesses who spoke to CrossRiverWatch, “On Saturday evening, around 8pm, we were all still outside. I think the three boys had gone inside to sleep leaving only their parents and three sisters outside. Their father then wanted to fuel the generator. Instead of getting a torch light, he decided to use the torch in his phone to see his way. I think it was in the process of pouring fuel into the generator that the phone rang and exploded causing and huge flame that resulted in this terrible destruction.”

The three boys, Rocky, Undiukeye and Unimke all between age 3 and 7 were peacefully asleep when the inferno engulfed the house. One of the boys was said to have attempted to run out of the house but was caught in the inferno by the entrance of the building.

The other two younger ones were said to have kept wailing from their room in anticipation of rescue that never came until they were burnt to death while their fathers’ late effort to rescue them by breaking the glass windows only resulted in multiple burns and injuries incurred from the glasses.

Relations who spoke to CrossRiverWatch called on government to come to the rescue of the grieving family while accusing the children’s aged grandfather of diabolically instigating the deadly inferno.

“This man is a very nice man and we cannot understand why this will happen to him. We know that it is his father that is the wizard that has killed these children. The village will definitely summon him at the play ground. But in the main time, government has to come to the rescue of this family to at least give them some succor. This kind of thing has never happened here before, and we pray that we never see this kind of terrible thing again.” Mr. Liwhu Ugbe said.
The three children were all laid to rest in the same grave the following day.

- by: Wilfred
- 12 years ago
May d almighty GOD give d family d heart to be strong. Oh GOD may dose BOY rest in ur right hand side.
- by: May their gentle souls rest in peace. Isaac Ogbadu.
- 12 years ago
May their gentle souls rest in peace.
- by: Andy Aboh
- 12 years ago
This is beyond human explanation . God have your way!
- by: Jayke Udyda
- 12 years ago
I happened to be at Ohong and visited the scene of devastation. It was really a gory sight to behold as the three kids were roasted by the rampaging inferno beyond recognition. I can still imagine the distant moaning and agonising cries of the children as they were engulfed by the fire and choked by the smoke. It is too late to turn back the hand of the clock because I am sure their father would have preferred to rather remain in darkness than attempt to put on the generating set. It is difficult to proof this African mentality of withcraftcy empirically. I pray for eternal repose of the innocent souls of the three boys and the fortitude for their parents to bear this painful loss.
- by: Justin Atiang Beshel
- 12 years ago
This is a wholesome loss. The pains and agony borned by this family is gruelsome. While condoling with this family on its huge loss, i crave the indulgence of the Imoke led administration to without delay award a contract for reconstruction of a shelter for this family. It’s indeed, unfortunate.
- by: Godwin Akeke
- 11 years ago
There are some things said here which are not true.For example,the incident happend on a friday night and not on saturday as stipulated.Secondly,he was not trying to start the generator when the explossion occured.The truth of the matter is that,the gentle man,his wife and 3 daughters were sitting outside when the sudden fire broke out.the man involed is from my community and i visited him at the hospital where he is receiving treatment and he told me what actually happend.The government should pls come to his aid because he is down completely,i mean finacially.And may God give them the fortitude to bear this great misforetune.May their gentle souls and the souls of all the faithfull departed,through the mercy of God rest in peace?Amen.