By Douglas Mojaye
A cooking gas explosion has reportedly killed a woman and her two children in the First Amekpa area of Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
NIGER DELTA TODAY (NDT) Online gathered that the deceased woman was said to be cooking when the gas cylinder suddenly exploded.
The woman and the two children, whose name could not be immediately been ascertained as at the time of this report, burnt beyond recognition.
The explosion was said to have happened around 7pm on Monday.
It was further gathered that a section of the building housing two flats was razed down by the inferno.
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The husband and father of the deceased woman and children who is a commercial tricycle rider was not at home when the incident started.
Some residents said the family had just packed to the area from Warri where they had lived for years.
Witnesses told our correspondent that some residents and sympathisers who made frantic efforts to save the victims and as well as put the fire off sustained injuries.
It was further gathered that the raging inferno would have extended to neighbouring buildings if not for the prompt response from the personnel of the Delta State Fire Service in Ughelli who later put off the fire.
There was however a mild-drama when the husband and father of the deceased who reportedly wanted to jumped into the blazing with intent to save his family when it was discovered that the victims had already died.
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“The man is a Keke driver and was the one that brought the children from school this afternoon. He had just returned this evening to meet their home on fire. His wife and two children were inside the burning house.
He wanted to go inside if he can help rescue them, but neighbors held him down to allow fire fighters and sympathisers put off the fire. The deceased were burnt beyond recognition. The woman died inside the kitchen where she was reportedly cooking while the children burnt in the parlour”, one of the neighbours narrated.
Occupants of the second flat which was equally razed down were however lucky as the explosion occurred when they were still away for the day’s business.
The remains of the victims were evacuated to the morgue of the Ughelli Central Hospital by officials of the fire service.