From Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, Aba
Tragedy struck in Aba, Abia State, as a fire cracker allegedly thrown by youths ushering in the New Year ignited an inferno in a storey building, killing a woman and her 22-year-old son.
The fire cracker was said to have landed in stored kerosene inside the building, located along Amucha Street, off Ohanku Road, Ndiegoro/Ngwa Road in Aba South Council Area, and immediately set the building on fire.
Witnesses said that the deceased mother and son were sleeping at the time, while some of their neighbours had travelled to their villages for the holiday.
Those that did not travel were said to have gone to midnight service, locking the gate from outside in order not to have problems entering their apartments on their return, which made it impossible for help to come from the outside when the fire started.
The woman’s son was said to have escaped but later returned to assist his mother and, unfortunately, both of them got consumed by the inferno that razed the entire building and properties of the landlord and all his tenants.
A source in the area told Daily Sun that the remains of the deceased have been deposited in a private mortuary in the town, while the police have been alerted.
Efforts to speak with the Abia State police spokesman, Geoffrey Ogbonna, proved abortive but a senior police source in Aba said a report had been received but did not give further details.