The deceased’s apartment. |
A 35 year old trader, Timothy, who
sold men and women’s belts, was found dead in his apartment after a fire incident that happened in the Ebute-Meta area of Lagos State on Saturday.
sold men and women’s belts, was found dead in his apartment after a fire incident that happened in the Ebute-Meta area of Lagos State on Saturday.
Punch Newspaper reports that he was discovered dead at about 4pm when a
customer came to his apartment and met it locked.
customer came to his apartment and met it locked.
It was gathered that on Wednesday at about 12am, neighbours had
raised the alarm of a fire in the adjoining apartment, and they had
quickly mobilized to put it out, while all of them rushed out to take
fresh air to allow the smoke to subside.
raised the alarm of a fire in the adjoining apartment, and they had
quickly mobilized to put it out, while all of them rushed out to take
fresh air to allow the smoke to subside.
It was
learnt that Timothy, who hailed from Benue State, however, was nowhere
to be found as his room was locked and residents felt he had also gone
out.
learnt that Timothy, who hailed from Benue State, however, was nowhere
to be found as his room was locked and residents felt he had also gone
out.
However, Timothy was said to have been discovered dead in his room on Saturday, four days after the fire.
A neighbour, who identified himself as Akeem Mustapha, said
the fire started from a candle lit in an adjacent room, adding that the
deceased’s room was stocked with belts and the smoke might have choked
Timothy to death.
the fire started from a candle lit in an adjacent room, adding that the
deceased’s room was stocked with belts and the smoke might have choked
Timothy to death.
He said,
“We do not know any of Timothy’s relatives. That is the challenge. Also,
his phone cannot be found. About five years ago, his elder brother fell
ill and died. As it is, the police have arrested his neighbour,
identified as mama boys, for arson.“What we
heard on that night was the alarm that fire had started. So, everyone
mobilised and came out to put out the fire. We did not know Timothy was
inside the room. It was on the fourth day when a customer came that he
was found dead.”
Another
neighbour, who declined to mention her name, said they scolded Mama Boye
for not reporting the incident to the police promptly, which was why
the police were suspecting her of complicity in the trader’s death.
neighbour, who declined to mention her name, said they scolded Mama Boye
for not reporting the incident to the police promptly, which was why
the police were suspecting her of complicity in the trader’s death.
“The woman
did not know that the trader was inside his room. Ordinarily, Timothy
was supposed to run out too when the alarm was raised. But nobody saw
him. When the woman did not see him the next day, she was supposed to
have called the police’s attention, but it was a customer on Saturday
who discovered the man was dead in his room.”