Rivers: Man, daughter in serious condition after kerosene explosion

Forum 7 years ago

Rivers: Man, daughter in serious condition after kerosene explosion

A father and his 13-year-old daughter have been rushed to different hospitals in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers state following Kerosene explosion that occurred in their home in Rumueme, Obio.
47-year-old Fidelis Umechukwu was rushed to Eboyi Hospital at Orazi while Chidinma Umechukwu who was said to be in a very serious condition, was rushed to Life forth Hospital, Iwofi in the same area.
The explosion which happened Sunday evening destroyed some of the victims’ properties and also affected the main building of their house.

Umechukwu told The Nation at Eboyi Hospital that he was seriously affected because he took the risk to jump back to the fire to rescue his daughter who he said was smoking with the fire.


He recalled that the incident took place when he was refilling their lantern and his daughter was the one holding the lantern, stressing that the lantern light was still on when it was being refilled.

He explained that his daughter who was seriously affected by the explosion was unconscious when she was rescued.

According to him, “It was on Sunday, around 7:30 pm, my wife went out, and I decided to enter the kitchen to prepare food that was when my daughter called to inform me that the kerosene in the lantern is running down.

“I then asked her to bring the kerosene inside the keg to pour in the lantern and before I knew it, the kitchen was set ablaze.


“And my four children were inside the house of which my daughter was with me in the kitchen, immediately I ran out.

“But I realized my daughter was still inside, that was how I forced myself inside and brought her out. I then went inside and carried the remaining of my children who were in the living room.
“I am calling on the public to assist me and my daughter to come out of this problem,” Umechukwu pleaded.