The Benue Police Command has confirmed the deaths of three family members as a result of a fire in Otukpo, Otukpo Local Government Area, in the state.
DSP Sewuese Anene, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), confirmed the news on Friday in Makurdi.
According to an eyewitness who spoke on the condition of anonymity to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the accident occurred at around 1.00am in a two-bedroom flat of Jesus College Quarters, home of the victims’ father, Mr Ochoche Ode.
According to Ode, the fire was discovered at midnight on Friday by his wife’s younger sister, who smelled something burning while three of his children were sleeping.
He stated that he and his wife were in one of the rooms when they were informed of the incident.
“As I was about to go find out what was going on, the fire spread throughout the room where my children were sleeping, and in an attempt to force my way into the room to save the children, my face was badly burned.”
“All efforts by neighbors to put out the fire failed, and all three of my children were burned to death,” Ode said.
At the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire outbreak was unknown.