Ex-gov’s ADC, 3 children die in inferno

It was a tragedy on Monday, when an early morning inferno burnt four members of the same family, including the bread winner, in Jenta Adamu community of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

A source close to the family told the Nigerian Tribune that the unfortunate incident occurred at about 1:30 a.m when the entire family of six, including the father, a retired police officer, Anthony Kwamni,  his wife and four other children, had gone to bed after watching Nigeria vs Sweden match.

The source, who said the fire incident was caused by power surge, said the fire started from the children’s room; the parents, who heard their wailing and crying, dashed into the room but were trapped in while trying to rescue the children.

It was learnt that three of the children alongside their father died in the room while the wife and one child were rescued by a group of youths within the community and other good Samaritans.

The fire killed the father, a retired ASP Anthony Kwamni, who was also a former ADC to the former governor of Plateau State, Chief Fedelis Tapgun; and the children, Theresa, Emmanuel and Kerry. The mother and the only surviving child, it was gathered were severely burnt and receiving treatment at Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos.

A community leader, who lived close  to the scene of the incident, said  they had to break some parts of the  wall  to gain access to the room where they were trapped before the  two survivors could be rescued, adding that prompt intervention of the youth prevented the inferno from spreading to other houses within the community.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Tyopev Mathias, confirmed the incident.