Felix Ikem, Nsukkka
Tragedy struck on Monday at Igogoro community, Enugu Ezike of Igboeze North Local Government Area, Enugu State as eight middle age men allegedly died in an underground tank while taking water from it.
Chidi Idoko, who lost a brother in the incident, gave the names of five of the victims as Uchechukwu Idoko, Oluchi Eze, Ejike Onu, Omenkeya Eze, Ifeanyi Abugu
A witness, Silas Odo, said that the water in the tank was almost exhausted which made the labourer to move his generator inside it.
Odo added that soon after the labourer started the generator, the carbon circulated and heated the environment. He said that he came out, washed his head to relief himself of the effects of the carbon and returned inside the tank before he was choked.
“They came to work for my son who is building his residential house. They have even finished working for my son and had returned for refreshment when someone raised the alarm about a choking labourer in the nearby building site.
“One of them rushed inside the tank to help him out and suffocated to death. Seeing what had happened, others tried also to assist them and they all got choked to death,” he said.
The father of one of the victims, Mr. Ossai Eze, said he finds it difficult to believe that his 24-yr-old son, Oluchi, will not return to him alive again.
Another grieving father, Mr. John Onu, said he had not found enough courage to discuss the tragic death of his son, Ejike.
Confirming the incident, Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ebere Amaraizu, said: “No fewer than eight persons have been confirmed dead in Enugu underground water safety tank.
“The incident is said to have occurred at a building site located at Igogoro in Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State on July 22. It was gathered that a yet to be identified worker in the site had on that fateful day and in the process of trying to evacuate water from the said tank got trapped inside the under ground tank and having waited for the worker and was not seen, the others started going in to offer help but were also said to have been trapped there and became unconscious.”
He also said that the Commissioner of Police, Suleiman Balarabe, has expressed shock at the incident, which he described as unfortunate.
“The police commissioner has directed a full scale investigations into the incident just as their bodies have been deposited at the mortuary of general hospital, Ogurute,” he said.