From Felix Ikem, Nsukka

Akachukwu Madu, a 16-year-old boy, has suffered body burns as a result of a kerosene explosion in Ala-Uno in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Akachukwu was unable to speak to our reporter due to injuries he sustained from the kerosene explosion which had part of his face, neck chest and shoulders badly burnt.

His father, Rev. Chika Madu told Daily Sun in Nsukka on Monday that the unfortunate incident happened on Wednesday, 29 September.

Rev Madu, who is the founder, Highway to Grace Assembly Ministry, Nsukka said that his first son Akachukwu wanted to use the Kerosene to put up the fire in firewood when it exploded and burnt part of his body.

‘I was in the parlour around 1:30 pm when my wife raised alarm and I rushed out only to see that the kerosene I bought for thave exploded and ignited a fire on the body of my son,’ he recalled.

‘We managed to rescue him out of the burning fire and quickly removed the clothes he was putting on which was burning that moment.’

Explaining how the adulterated kerosene gets into the family, he alleged that he bought the product from Anthobrig Oil Nigeria Limited filling station Obollo Affor in Udenu LGA a day before the incident.

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‘This is not the first time I’m buying kerosene from the filling station, I was surprised and disappointed that the last kerosene I bought from them appears to be adulterated,’ he said.

The cleric, who said that he had already reported the incident to the management of the filling station, however, expressed surprise that the management have not reached out to his family 6 days after he informed them about the development at the time of filing this report.

‘As I’m talking to you now, my son is still at the hospital receiving treatment, yet the managing director of the station who promised that he will reach out to my family have not called or visited,’ he said.

When contacted, Mr Anthony Nwodoh, the MD of the Anthobrig Nigeria Limited Filling Station, said that Mr Madu had to come and prove to the organisation that he bought the adulterated kerosene that from them.

‘Yes, I was told that one man was claiming that he bought kerosene from us that exploded and burnt his son.

‘But the truth remains that we have not received any further complain from any other person that our kerosene is adulterated and customers are still buying it from us.

‘So, he has to come and prove to us how he bought the adulterated kerosene from us,’ he said.

It would be recalled that the Enugu State Government had last month warned dealers of kerosene products against selling adulterated products to the public following death of four persons and others injured as a result of kerosene explosion in various local governments in Enugu North senatorial district.