It was a black Wednesday for the family of Mr. John Nwabufo of Nkwelle-Ezunaka in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State as a generating set reportedly set his family house ablaze, with the man and his wife, Ndidiamaka, and six children managing to escape death by the whiskers.

According to a source, trouble started for the family when one of the sons allegedly carried a lantern close to the generator, which ignited a fire that engulfed the entire house.

The source said soon after the outbreak, Nwabufo, a bed-ridden, partially blind man, was evacuated alongside his wife and children through the window by sympathisers.

One of the eyewitnesses, Chief Vincent Anyakora, who is also the chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the area, said the incident occurred in the wee hours when the family members were still asleep.

He said: “The family was still asleep when the house caught fire and neighbours started shouting, which made the entire residents to storm the place and rescue them.

“The entire building had caught fire when the rescuers came and they had to break the window from where the blind man, his wife and their six children were rescued.

“If not for God, their father, who is partially blind and had been bed-ridden for years now, and his entire family would have been wiped out by the fire.

“You can see the generator that caused the trouble; it is completely burnt and every property was burnt, except only the family members who were rescued alive.”

Also speaking, the elder brother to the blind man who lost his house, Mr. Jacob Nwabufor, said: “My brother is currently staying in my house after losing his house and every other thing he had on earth to the fire and cannot start life afresh unless the state government and good spirited individuals and group come to his aid.

“His wife, Ndidiamaka, has fled the community until after some days to enable the women clear the ashes. That is our tradition.”

Eyewitnesses, Mrs. Catherine Unegbu and Madam Patience Abadom regretted that officials of the fire service did not respond to calls.

hhh

People need to be sensitized on h.s.e.

This course needs to be implemented in schools.

Thank God for the Saves lives and God will restore their lost possession.