From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
A strange fire outbreak has claimed the lives of a leading Igbo couple resident in Kano State, the late Engineer Chijioke Azubuike and his wife, Prudence Azuibuike.
The deceased, who were both from Abia State, died yesterday after they were smoked to death by the mystery fire, which trapped them inside their private residence situated at Peace Estate (Old Aviation Quarters) in the state capital.
The remains of the deceased, according to checks, have been deposited at the mortuary of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in the state while their surviving daughter, nine- year -Chidera, is currently at the Intensive Care Unit(ICU) of the same hospital.
Although authorities of the Kano State Fire Service said they had no record of the tragedy, distraught neigbours told Daily Sun on Tuesday that the mystery fire began somewhere after midnight and was only discovered at about 5.00 am when their maid, resident outside the main building complex, raised the alarm that attracted Muslims worshipers who were out for their morning prayers .
Daily Sun gathered that when rescuers forced their way into light -green one floor residential complex, they found the couple slightly burnt and dead, probably out of suffocation. Also found lying on the floor alongside the deceased was a bunch of keys to the respective rooms, burnt furniture in the sitting room and a flat- television which had been melted by the heat of the fire.
It was gathered that the fire, which limited itself to the living room and a few adjacent rooms in the building complex, could not easily spread out to the roof top due the POP ceiling, a reason neigbours did not know of the fire until its last out.in the early hours of the money.
At the Ungogo Police Station, a relative of the deceased simply identified as Udo, confirmed the report and said that they were at the station to incident the loss of their beloved ones adding that after reporting to the police, they would proceed to the Fire Service to report the accident.
Meanwhile the heart – breaking tragedy has been eliciting sympathy and tears among Igbo residents- women especially- in the state. It is generally believed that the lady, who was until her death, is said to be a top officer with Airtel had touched several hearts in the state before her untimely death.