Generator exhaust kills couple, two children, in-law in Anambra

The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the deaths of a couple, their two children, and other people at their home in Nkwele Ezunaka, Onitsha.

The man, his wife, two kids, mother-in-law, and an apprentice reportedly perished on Wednesday after breathing in poisonous fumes from a generator, according to reports.

When City Round learned that the man’s wife had just given birth, he arranged for the family to move to their new house as a surprise gift for her.

Only the four-day-old baby survived, according to local sources, who also claimed that it was the family’s first night in their brand-new house.

Read Also: Parents face tough times as schools raise fees

The incident reportedly came to light when a friend who had been invited but was unable to attend the celebration went to the house and noticed that the doors were locked and the generator was still running.

“The entire family was celebrating in their new home when an unexpected power outage occurred,” he remarked. Just outside the bedroom, the man turned on the generator that had been installed on the verandah.

The celebration continued well into the night, but as everyone dozed off, no one thought to turn off the generator. The following morning, a friend who was supposed to join them for the celebration but was unable to do so went to the deceased’s house and discovered the doors locked and the generator still running.

He informed his neighbors after knocking for a while without getting a response. The four-day-old baby was the only one who survived after they forcibly opened the door and found the dead bodies inside.

The wife and one of the daughters were still unconscious when they were taken to the hospital. They were later pronounced dead despite efforts to revive them, including oxygen administration.

Only the newborn child had survived, according to Rev. Fr. Izunna Okonkwo, the administrator of St. Charles Borromeo Hospital in Onitsha, where the victims were taken after being rushed there.

Sources claim that the middle-aged man, who went by the name of Ifeanyi, was an Enugu State native and a trader at the Onitsha Bridge Head Market.

Investigators are still working to determine what caused the tragedy, according to Tochukwu Ikenga, a spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, who also confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Friday.

The details will be released as soon as the investigation is over, he continued, adding that the matter was still under investigation.