UMUAHIA, Nigeria (Reuters) - At least 17 people died at a prayer meeting in rural Nigeria after apparently breathing noxious fumes from their power generator while asleep, police and witnesses said on Wednesday.

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The deaths highlight the worsening power crisis in Africa's top oil producer, where the near collapse of the national grid is forcing homes and businesses to turn to portable generators.

Much of Nigeria has no mains power for weeks at a time. The capacity of the world's eighth biggest oil exporter has plunged to less than 1,000 megawatts from 3,000 a year ago.

The victims fell asleep on Saturday in a locked room with the generator still running, police said. Their bodies were discovered and the incident reported on Tuesday.

"We are still investigating the cause of the deaths. But a power generating set was found in the hall where they slept, so we are not ruling out suffocation through carbon monoxide inhalation," police spokesman Ali Okechukwu said.

The family had gathered in a village in the Isiala-Ngwa district of Abia to pray for one of their own whom they said was being haunted by evil spirits.

Though Nigerians are very religious, many are highly superstitious and hold strong beliefs in voodoo, ghosts and witchcraft. One survivor, Linus Abba, said the victims were attacked by the evil spirits they were trying to exorcise.

"I heard strange noises and noticed that the room where we slept was filled with smoke, that is all I can remember because I fainted," Abba told Reuters. "It was a terrible attack by the forces of darkness that we came to fight."

Generator fumes kill scores of people in Africa's most populous country of 140 million every year.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080716/wl_nm/nigeria_deaths_fumes_dc


This is sad.

It is long time coming,people don't understand how dangerous those fumes are,all those rickety cars releasing those dangerous gases in hours long traffic hold-ups,it is a miracle people don't collaspe and die in all those fumes and heat of go-slow all the time.

Health and safety guideline is highly needed in nigeria.

May their souls rest in peace.

Hasn't there been enough education about the dangers of running a Generator with no ventilation?

Well,  there has also been enough education on AIDS and how to avoid it but that has not stopped people from contracting the disease to date.

But yeah, you are right, stupid thing to do but then again, we know how things go with people. Many still believe they are immune.

Kobojunkie:

Well, there has also been enough education on AIDS and how to avoid it but that has not stopped people from contracting the disease to date.

Spot On

Health and safety in nigeria is non-existent,not even in airline industries.People will prefer to run their gens even their living rooms and balconies,to a thief stealing it outside,undermining the implications of the fumes because in most cases,they don't know it is suicidal,the slightest mistake of inhaling those fumes in a confine place for a period of time causes death,and it is silent and invicible

The first person to crack a joke about those night vigil church attendees already being in the presence of God before crossing over to meet him will be subjected to a public flogging.

Femtex:

"I heard strange noises and noticed that the room where we slept was filled with smoke, that is all I can remember because I fainted," Abba told Reuters. "It was a terrible attack by the forces of darkness that we came to fight."

this was the action of forces of darkness aka NEPA.

The dude probably suffered from the hallucinatory and dementia effects of carbon monoxide inhalation.

texazzpete:

Hasn't there been enough education about the dangers of running a Generator with no ventilation?

There probably ain't enough information out there. They need to ram it into people's head that carbon monoxide would kill within 24 hours in a room with little or no ventilation, and that apart from this, long-term exposure can cause chronic fatigue, co-mediated brain injury or chronic renal failure.

May their soul rest in peace.

Femtex:

UMUAHIA, Nigeria (Reuters) - At least 17 people died at a prayer meeting in rural Nigeria after apparently breathing noxious fumes from their power generator while asleep, police and witnesses said on Wednesday.

"We are still investigating the cause of the deaths. But a power generating set was found in the hall where they slept, so we are not ruling out suffocation through carbon monoxide inhalation," police spokesman Ali Okechukwu said.

The family had gathered in a village in the Isiala-Ngwa district of Abia to pray for one of their own whom they said was being haunted by evil spirits.

Though Nigerians are very religious, many are highly superstitious and hold strong beliefs in voodoo, ghosts and witchcraft. One survivor, Linus Abba, said the victims were attacked by the evil spirits they were trying to exorcise.

"I heard strange noises and noticed that the room where we slept was filled with smoke, that is all I can remember because I fainted," Abba told Reuters. "It was a terrible attack by the forces of darkness that we came to fight."

Next time, people should learn to open the windows or meet in an open place to avoid counter-attack by the evil spirits while using generators.

The first thing to do is to cast out the demon(s) that possessed the generator.

@4,

I feel you

Ignorance killed them.

opening window?

a place where pple are afraid of thief, opening window will be the last thing.

omoge:

opening window?

a place where people are afraid of thief, opening window will be the last thing.

The last thing= death.

Now I understand why a Lagos State legislator is trying to criminalize the ownership of generators. He has long been aware that generators harbor evil spirits, and the man has made it his life mission to eradicate those demonic engines from Nigerian shores for the rest of all time.

This is very sad.

Waiting for someone to use this as talking point for why generator should be banned.

redsun:

Health and safety in nigeria is non-existent,not even in airline industries.People will prefer to run their gens even their living rooms and balconies,to a thief stealing it outside,undermining the implications of the fumes because in most cases,they don't know it is suicidal,the slightest mistake of inhaling those fumes in a confine place for a period of time causes death,and it is silent and invicible

You are so right!

Went to Nigeria in 2005 and was shocked to see people in those face me I face you apartments using generators. Even though the gens were on the balcony, it didn't help much because they had like 10-12 gens lined up. My only concern back then was the noise pollution. . . didn't even put the fumes into account.

It's just a horrible situation.

Jakumo:

Now I understand why a Lagos State legislator is trying to criminalize the ownership of generators. He has long been aware that generators harbor evil spirits, and the man has made it his life mission to eradicate those demonic engines from Nigerian shores for the rest of all time.

Rotflmao!

Yeah! Go! Go! Senator. Smart!

Our Exorcist in Charge!

naijaking1:

Next time, people should learn to open the windows or meet in an open place to avoid counter-attack by the evil spirits while using generators.

counter attack indeed!

Its really sad though, no training or warning not to operate those things in enclosed spaces. The regulatory agencies are slacking off. Large print warnings should be placed on generators to warn users.

The fact that only"scores" of people die of generator fumes in a country with almost 150 million citizens and no electricity shows that most people are aware of how dangerous those fumes can be. It's a pity some people forget.

I am having a good life

My dear Nigeria, is this a country at all?

On the bright side, they are prolly on their way to heaven, or is it??

Sounds like suicide so I'll say hell.

bikonu who is answering okija juju?

Queenisha:

bikonu who is answering okija juju?

Nne do not be frightened.

Atleast we dont use generators at the shrine.

hMMM GENERATOR AGAIN, i will slay mine tonite

Jakumo:
The first person to crack a joke about those night vigil church attendees already being in the presence of God before crossing over to meet him will be subjected to a public flogging.

OYA LIE DOWN. Where dat koboko self.