One Dies, 15 In Coma As Generator Fume Suffocates Worshippers

Fifteen persons have collapsed as a result of suffocation caused by fumes from a generator during an inter-denominational fellowship at the Young Peoples Christian Fellowship located along Eziukwu, by Milverton road Aba, Abia State, reports have said.

The victims of the fellowship are said to be all indigenes of Arochukwu Local Government Area in the state.

A report has it that out of the 16 persons inside the hall of the fellowship, 15 who were in various hospitals receiving medical attention as at the time of this report are responding positively to medical attention, while a boy of 6 years, a child to one of the victims, was already dead before police could gain entrance into the scene of the incident.

11 persons are currently receiving medical attention at Austine Grace Hospitals while 4 were also admitted at Goodness and Mercies hospital at Faulks Road, Aba.

Dr. Mark Iwuagwu, a medical doctor at one of the hospitals where the victims were rushed to for immediate medical attention (Austine – Grace Hospitals located at Okigwe road) speaking to reporters at the end of the Abia State Deputy Governor’s visit to his hospital, attributed the cause of the incident to suffocation as a result of carbon monoxide poison they inhaled from a generator set outside the hall where the tarry night was hosted.

“When I was invited to the place by the police, the generator they used as their source of power supply was still on, but the glasses to the hall were all locked. It was police that came and opened the place with metal equipment. It was one of the victim’s brothers that alerted the police after efforts to reach his sister he said he escorted to the fellowship failed to yield any result,” the doctor said.

No member of the fellowship could speak to the press as at the time of the report, but the General- Secretary of pastors from Arochukwu, Dr. Phillip Richard and Senior Pastor Word Alive Assembly, Aba confirmed that the victims were all from Ututu, Arochukwu. [Vanguard]