By Udo Akam-Alo, ABAKALIKI
Two women have narrowly escaped death in adulterated kerosene explosion in Ebonyi state.
Sharing her experience, Mrs Elizabeth Igwe, said she bought the kerosene by the roadside which turned out to be adulterated.
According to Elizabeth, 31, “I was just taking some rest after preparing African Salad (Abacha) when NEPA took off the light. This prompted me to get up and I tried lit my lantern haven added some kerosene which my 4-year-old granddaughter bought me in the market.
“All of a sudden, the lantern exploded and fire gutted my body including the nearby family wardrobe where the fire consumed all my clothes.
“When I raised alarm, my son and neighbours came to my rescue, put out the fire and I was immediately rushed to the hospital for proper medical attention.
Mrs Igwe expressed gratitude to God for her rescue, urging the general public to stop patronizing roadside kerosene vendors but should rather go to filling station to save themselves and entire family from untimely death.
Also narrating her experience, Miss Chinenye Ezekwena who is in her early twenties said: “I had set wood at the fireplace where I usually do my cooking, with pot also placed on it. As I tried to put fire from the match box I was holding, I was so shocked as fire immediately gutted my cloth and burnt parts of my body and one side of my face.
“I tried all I could to pull off my night gown to save the situation but the fire ended up burning my hands, legs, part of my face and some kitchen utensils.”
She therefore, enjoined Ebonyi state government to put in place monitoring mechanism to ensure that kerosene and petrol are sold only at the filling station to guide against adulteration.
