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From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
A mysterious fire has burnt to death a three-month-old baby in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
The incident which occurred on the popular Awe Street at about 10:30 am last Monday also razed an eight-room apartment within the premises.
According to sources from the area, the fire incidence started from the inner room of the eight-room building and wasted no time in spreading to other rooms of the house.
The little baby which belonged to one Abdul and his wife, Amira was said to have been dropped with a neighbour while the young mother left for her Islamic school within the neighbourhood.
“But, because of the suddenness of the fire incidence, people did not remember that the little baby was sleeping on the couch in the parlour of the neighbour when the fire started,” a neighbour who gave her name as Hassana Ayuba told newsmen on Wednesday.
She said by the time people remembered, it was already too late as the fire had engulfed every part of the building leaving the child burnt beyond recognition.
Our source also revealed that the only separate building that was spared in the premises from the fire outbreak was that of the Abduls but wondered why their baby had to die in the inferno.
It was further that the cause of the fire which completely burnt all property belonging to all affected tenants in the compound was yet unknown at the time of this report.
Mother of the child, Amira Abdul who remained inconsolable when our correspondent visited the area recounted her last moment with her second child thus;
“When I finished bathing and dressed my baby up, my co-tenants were telling me that she was looking very beautiful and I thanked them. I then dropped her with my neighbour and left for school.
“I was still in school when somebody came to inform us that there was a fire incident in my compound. Initially, I didn’t take it seriously because I thought it was a minor fire incident until another woman came and told me to go home.
“By the time I got home and saw the level of damage, I started crying and asked for my baby. It was then that I was told that my baby had died in the fire,” the 16-year-old mother of two said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer PPRO, Catherine Anene, a Superintendent of Police said she was yet to be briefed on the matter.
