An early morning down-pour which elicited happiness amongst residents of Onabanjo Street, Oworonshoki, Lagos State, who considered it a reprieve after many weeks of intense heat, resulted in tragedy when a 11KVA high-tension wire fell, electrocuting a pregnant woman and five others, at about 2am.
The wire, which was still carrying voltage, cut in two as a result of the heavy downpour, as electricity operators did not cease power supply during the rains.
According to the general secretary of the Council of Oworonshoki Youth Forum, Kabiawu Babajide, the high-tension wire cut and fell across a culvert before it lighted-up upon contact with a stack of wood. Two vehicles, close to the wood stack were thoroughly burnt.
Babjide said the incident occurred in front of houses located between numbers 6 to 10 on the street, pointing out that most people who were out and about when the fire was blazing raised the alarm, causing others who were in their houses to seek to escape.
“In a bid to escape, most of them jumped on the naked wire and were immediately electrocuted. They have been rushed to the hospital for urgent medical attention. The PHCN people ceased the light after they had been called on phone.”
Babajide also confirmed that six people – a pregnant woman, her three children, and another mother and her child – died in the tragedy.
An eye-witness, Ladi Joshua, who said he was a few metres away from the scene of the tragedy, added that when the fire was noticed, men of the fire service were called but they could not make it to the area, “until after much damage had been done. They could not be rescued”.
“One Iya Fatima, died with her child and another one, Iya Jonathan, who was pregnant,died with her children. Another little boy, Basit, was also electrocuted. But when they were all taken to the mortuary of the Gbagada General Hospital, they were rejected.”
Confirming the incident, the general manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the incident occurred on numbers 6 and 8 of Onabanjo Street. He also disclosed that a PHCN pole sparked when power was restored at about 2.20 am, causing an electric cable to land on a vehicle with 50 litres of PMS and resulting in the inferno.
He added that six lives were lost, but assured that the police and others were on hand to restore peace to the community.
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