Pastor John Kayode of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC),
Otumara, Warri in Delta State has lost his wife and four kids
to a midnight fire believed to have been caused by an
electrical fault. The fire engulfed the mission building and
part of the main church building, destroying property worth
millions of naira
The entire three-bedroom mission house closely attached to
the church auditorium was raised down, with no item
recovered from the rubbles including the pastor’s wife and
four children - two boys and two girls - all within ages eight
and 18. The cleric was said to be at the church’s national
programme, holding at Ikeji-Arakeji in Osun State, when the
incident happened at about 12.30am on Thursday.
A neighbour, Bright December, who narrated the tragedy to
journalists, said all rescue efforts of those who came early
enough were fruitless because of the iron protectors on their
door.
According to him, the general belief was that the fire must
have been caused by an electrical fault in the area, which
had forced people to work tirelessly the previous night, to
solve the fluctuating power supply.
“Last night at about 11pm, some men were going around, it
was like they noticed there was light problem, they were like
trying to trace where the fault could have come from. On
the long run, they came like three times and since they
couldn’t get where the fault was coming from, they left. At
about midnight to 12:30am, I heard the woman screaming
for help, so we came out.
“When I got there, I saw the last daughter of the pastor,
standing very close to the louvers, banging on them. There
was no way I could help, I saw one rubber out there with
which I started scooping water to put out the fire. Later on I
saw the woman (pastor’s wife), struggling with the door,
like a middle wooden door, she was shouting for help while
she was trying to open it.
The three other children could not be seen struggling at all,
it was like they had been choked with the smoke in the
house because where they slept was where we found them."
He said the creams emanating from the mother and the last
daughter were intense, but later waned until they gave up
the ghost.
An eyewitness and church member, Mrs Stella Osama, said
the remains of the pastor’s wife and four children were
burnt beyond recognition.
Mrs Margeret Ichibo, a church member, who spoke to
journalists said “I left the Church after prayers with her
(Kayoda) on Wednesday. That was in the day. I rushed back
few minutes to 1a.m., and fire fighters were just labouring
to break in, but it was too late. “The bodies have been
deposited at the Warri Central Hospital Mortuary.”
It was gathered that fire fighters and members of the
Nigeria Police could only access the scene at 2.45 a.m,
after the five had given up the ghost. Our correspondents
also learnt fire fighters and NEMA officials arrived the scene
about an hour after a neighbour alerted them.
Meanwhile, the Area Commander of Warri Area Command of
the Nigeria Police, Hussein Rabiu, confirmed the incident,
but said he was away in Asaba for a meeting.
Otumara, Warri in Delta State has lost his wife and four kids
to a midnight fire believed to have been caused by an
electrical fault. The fire engulfed the mission building and
part of the main church building, destroying property worth
millions of naira
The entire three-bedroom mission house closely attached to
the church auditorium was raised down, with no item
recovered from the rubbles including the pastor’s wife and
four children - two boys and two girls - all within ages eight
and 18. The cleric was said to be at the church’s national
programme, holding at Ikeji-Arakeji in Osun State, when the
incident happened at about 12.30am on Thursday.
A neighbour, Bright December, who narrated the tragedy to
journalists, said all rescue efforts of those who came early
enough were fruitless because of the iron protectors on their
door.
According to him, the general belief was that the fire must
have been caused by an electrical fault in the area, which
had forced people to work tirelessly the previous night, to
solve the fluctuating power supply.
“Last night at about 11pm, some men were going around, it
was like they noticed there was light problem, they were like
trying to trace where the fault could have come from. On
the long run, they came like three times and since they
couldn’t get where the fault was coming from, they left. At
about midnight to 12:30am, I heard the woman screaming
for help, so we came out.
“When I got there, I saw the last daughter of the pastor,
standing very close to the louvers, banging on them. There
was no way I could help, I saw one rubber out there with
which I started scooping water to put out the fire. Later on I
saw the woman (pastor’s wife), struggling with the door,
like a middle wooden door, she was shouting for help while
she was trying to open it.
The three other children could not be seen struggling at all,
it was like they had been choked with the smoke in the
house because where they slept was where we found them."
He said the creams emanating from the mother and the last
daughter were intense, but later waned until they gave up
the ghost.
An eyewitness and church member, Mrs Stella Osama, said
the remains of the pastor’s wife and four children were
burnt beyond recognition.
Mrs Margeret Ichibo, a church member, who spoke to
journalists said “I left the Church after prayers with her
(Kayoda) on Wednesday. That was in the day. I rushed back
few minutes to 1a.m., and fire fighters were just labouring
to break in, but it was too late. “The bodies have been
deposited at the Warri Central Hospital Mortuary.”
It was gathered that fire fighters and members of the
Nigeria Police could only access the scene at 2.45 a.m,
after the five had given up the ghost. Our correspondents
also learnt fire fighters and NEMA officials arrived the scene
about an hour after a neighbour alerted them.
Meanwhile, the Area Commander of Warri Area Command of
the Nigeria Police, Hussein Rabiu, confirmed the incident,
but said he was away in Asaba for a meeting.
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