Four-day-old baby survives as generator fumes kill businessman, wife, two children, mother-in-law, apprentice in Anambra

A businessman identified only as, Ifeanyi, his wife, Amaka, two children, mother-in-law and his apprentice died after inhaling generator fumes from in Anambra State.

The spokesperson of the State Police Command, told THEWATCH AFRICA, after confirming the incident that, the police were yet to unravel the real circumstances surrounding their death.

“We are still carrying out our investigation and the details will be communicated as soon as possible,” the PPRO added.

It was gathered that the family was celebrating their first night in their newly built mansion at Nkwelle Ezunuka in Oyi Local Govt Area, near Onitsha, when the incident occurred.

Ifeanyi hailed from Enugu State and was a businessman at the Onitsha Bridge Head Market.

According to close a close source, the man’s wife delivered a baby on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, and to give the wife a surprise gift, the man quickly arranged for the family to move to their new house.

An eyewitness told our correspondent that it was the family’s first night in their new residence, adding that only the four-day-old baby survived.

The source said the incident was made known when a friend who was supposed to join them in the celebration that night, but couldn’t meet up, went to the deceased’s house only to discover that the doors were locked with the generator still on.

“After knocking for some time without a response, he alerted other neighbours who forced the door open and saw the lifeless bodies, it was only the four-day-old baby that survived.

However, the manager of St. Charles Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha, where the victims were rushed to, Rev. Fr. Izunna Okonkwo, also confirmed that only the newborn baby was in a stable condition when they arrived at the hospital for medical care.

“The entire members of the family were in their newly built house celebrating when suddenly there was a power outage. The man had to put on the generator stationed at the verandah close to the bedroom,” a source explained.

“The celebration continued into the night before they all slept off and didn’t remember to switch off the generator. The next morning.

“The wife and one of the daughters were still unconscious when they were rushed to the hospital, but efforts to resuscitate them, including placing them on oxygen, failed, and they were later pronounced dead.”