Mother, four children die in Rivers inferno

On Friday morning, a devastating fire erupted at a residence in the Okochiri community of Okrika Local Government Area in Rivers State, resulting in the tragic deaths of a mother and her four children. The precise cause of the inferno remains unknown, though a source suggested that the incident may have occurred when someone attempted to discharge bad petrol into a jerrycan, causing it to ignite.

Commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Okrika LGA, Igwe Godswill, confirmed the incident but noted that details about the event were still unclear. He stated that upon arrival, his team found the bodies of the woman and her four children, who had been tragically burned to death. The police had already arrived and gathered pertinent details before his team's arrival.

Local youths had managed to extinguish the fire before Godswill's team could arrive, but the victims were believed to have succumbed to their injuries prior to the flames being subdued. An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the incident. The spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police Blessing Agabe, confirmed the incident, stating that the mother and three of her children perished in the fire.

Three other occupants of the building sustained injuries, and property valued at thousands of naira was destroyed in the blaze.