2 Die Of Suffocation From Charcoal Smoke In Anambra

A housewife, one Obiageli Ezeuboaja, aged 65 years old, and her houseboy, one Chikamso, 12 years old, of Umuchiana village, Ekwulobia in Anambra State, reportedly died after being suffocated by smoke from charcoal while asleep.

The husband of the deceased, one Bernard Ezeuboaja, Thursday, reported at Aguata Police Station that on the same date, at about 9am, he discovered that his wife and the houseboy did not wake up from sleep since the previous night. He said he forced the door open, and found their lifeless bodies.

The Anambra State police public relations officer, SP Haruna Mohammed, told newsmen in Awka that as a result of the report, police detectives attached to Aguata Division visited the scene and rushed the victims to hospital where they were certified dead by a medical doctor.

He said, “Preliminary investigations 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. The charcoal container was recovered as exhibit while corpses were deposited at Ekwulobia Hospital mortuary for autopsy.”

According to him, investigations were ongoing to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident.