65-year-old woman, house boy suffocate to death from charcoal fumes

A 65-year-old woman, Obiageli Ezeuboaja, and her house boy simply identified as Chikamso, 12, died in their sleep after inhaling Charcoal fumes in their home in Umuchiana village, Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State on Wednesday, July 15.

A statement released by the spokesperson of the state police command, Haruna Mohammed, says the deceased set a charcoal fire in order to warm the room due to cold weather and left all the windows closed and without ventilation. The bodies of the deceased were discovered by the husband to late Mrs. Ezeuboaja.

The police statement reads

”On 15/7/2020 there was a report at Aguata Police Station by one Bernard Ezeuboaja ‘m’ of Umuchiana village, Ekwulobia in Anambra State. He said on the same date at about 9:am, he discovered that his wife one Obiageli Ezeuboaja ‘f’ aged 65 years and her house boy one Chikamso ‘m’ surname unknown aged about 12 years never woke up from sleep since the previous night.

As a result, he opened the door and discovered their lifeless bodies.

Following the report, Police detectives attached to Aguata division visited the scene and rushed victims to the hospital for medical attention but they were all certified death on arrival by a medical doctor.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased set a charcoal fire in order to warm the room due to cold weather leaving all the windows closed and without ventilation.”