Tragedy struck Okochiri community in the Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State on Friday morning when a fire outbreak killed a mother and her four children in their residence.

The cause of the fire could not be immediately ascertained, although a source who spoke on condition of anonymity said the incident occurred when an individual attempted to discharge petrol into a jerrycan, but the product suddenly ignited.

The source also suggested that the petrol might have been bad fuel.

Confirming the incident in a telephone chat, the Commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Okrika LGA, Igwe Godswill, said details of the incident were still sketchy.

Godswill, however, said when he arrived at the scene with his team, they found the lifeless bodies of the woman and her four children.

He stated, “We just heard the news this morning about the fire. There are no proper details as to what happened. But when we got there this morning, we saw that about four children and their mother, a total of five persons, were burnt and died.

“The police had already arrived and taken proper details of what happened. It is so disheartening that this is happening again in our community.”

Godswill said youths in the community had put out the fire by the time he arrived, adding that the occupants were believed to have died before the fire was extinguished.

He called for an investigation to determine the cause of the incident.

“When we got there this morning, the fire had been put out and the police had already come to the scene. I believe a proper investigation will be carried out,” the Civilian JTF official said.

Meanwhile, a video of the incident seen by our reporter showed a woman complaining about the cramped nature of the house, while the roof and other parts of the building appeared damaged.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Blessing Agabe, said she would find out about the incident and get back to our reporter.

Agabe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, had yet to provide feedback as of the time of filing this report on Friday afternoon.

Recall that several shops were destroyed by fire at the Pumpum Nuri Water Site in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State early in September. (The PUNCH)