A Christ Apostolic Church Pastor, John Kayode, in the early hours of Thursday, lost his wife and four of his children to an inferno that razed the church building and the cleric’s official accommodation attached to the church in Warri, Delta State.
The incident which took place at the Otumara Branch of the church, at Emiko Close, Angle Park area of the city, threw the residents of the area into mourning, even as the pastor was said to have travelled to Osun for a conference organised by the church leadership.
Mrs. Kayode, his two boys and two girls aged between 8 and 18 were consumed in the fire which eyewitnesses said started around 12.15 am, early Thursday.
At the scene of the fire, an eyewitness who identified himself as Bright December noted that though the deceased lady raised the alarm, it was impossible for residents to access the building.
“At about 11pm Wednesday night, electricity supply started fluctuating dangerously and for three times some vigilant residents came out to see what the problem was and nothing was noticed.
“In the midnight, I looked out and saw a girl banging on the glass windows by one of the room in the gutted Pastor’s house. Later the mother was shouting for help. But the burglary proofs everywhere restrained immediate entry.
“A lady went out to alert other neighbours but it was too late. The Pastor’s wife and the daughter with her at the outer room screamed for 15mins and that was it. By the time it was possible to gain entry, the boys and a girl were already burnt dead in one room while the second girl and mother died in the other room”, December said.
A member of the church, Mrs Margaret Ichibo said: “I left the church after prayers with her (Mrs. Kayode) yesterday (Wednesday). That was in the day. I rushed back few minutes to 1:00am when I heard shouting and fire fighters were just labouring to break in but it was too late. The NEMA people made to evacuate the bodies but we advised that police be informed first.
“By the time police came, NEMA people had switched off their phones. The youths in the neighbourhood and some of the fire service men brought out the bodies between 5am and 6am. The bodies have been deposited at the Warri Central Hospital Mortuary.”
The Church Secretary and Warri Correspondent of the Sun Newspaper, Sunday Ogoigbe, noted that the fire could have emanated from an electrical fault, but added that only a thorough investigation could reveal the actual cause.