A 10-year-old girl, Ngoni Ruth-Jannise, was roasted to ashes
by a wild fire that engulfed their Bonadikombo Mile Four, Limbe home, in the
night of Tuesday 1st May. The mid night fire incident also brought to an abrupt
end the frenzy that characterized celebration of Labour Day in the locality.
Ngoni
Ruth-Jannise, a class 5 pupil at catholic school Bonadikombo.
Family
sources said Ruth-Jannise was with her three cousins aged 6, 4 and 2 in their
house when the fire gutted their room and spread to the other rooms of the
‘carabot’ building. The Median gathered that Ruth-Jannise had gone to spend the
night at her uncle’s place because her parents were out celebrating Labour Day.
Eyewitnesses
said the wild fire that lasted for about 2hours reduced the house to ashes.
”it is
a terrible thing that happened here last night. I was in my house when I heard
people shouting at about 12 in the night. On coming out I saw a house nearby on
fire. I quickly rushed to the scene with some young guys who were still out
celebrating Labour Day to try and put out the fire and stop the flames from
extending to other buildings since the area has a lot of plank houses. Others
in nearby houses were trying to remove their properties in case the fire extended
to other buildings. Amidst the commotion, a lady was looking for her child who
was in the house with the other children who had survived. Everybody was of the
opinion that the child must have panicked and rushed out to a nearby home,”
recounted a neighbor who was present at the scene.
Another
neighbor said after they had succeeded to put out the fire and left the scene,
their attention was called back minutes later when they heard fresh cries
coming from the area.
“When
we rushed back to the scene we heard people saying that they had discovered the
charred body of a young girl who was trapped in the house. In fact, this was so
difficult to bear. I had to leave the place.” said a resident.
“I was
really terrified by the sad incident. I felt really bad especially for the
mother of the deceased, who was discernibly inconsolable. She was crying all
along and recalling how her young daughter used to tell her: “Mama you are
always sick, when I grow up I will become a doctor so I can take care of you;
ooh my doctor is no more,” recounted another neighbor, who noted that the
entire mile four quarters is in grief following the cruel death of the young
girl.
The SDO
for Fako, Engamba Emmanuel Ledoux, made a stop at the scene the following day
to see the damaged caused and sympathize with the bereaved family. He was
accompanied by the State Council, some medics from Limbe Regional Hospital and
the Police Commissioner of Bonadikombo.
The
police commissioner said investigations will be carried out to determine the
cause of the fire.
Meanwhile,
the remains of the little girl were retrieved by her parents and taken to
Mbouda in the west region for burial.
The
incident comes barely few months after two minors were also trapped in a house
on fire and burnt to ashes at Coconut Island in limbe.
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