A family of six has been found dead in Ogale, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, after reportedly suffocating from fumes emitted by a power generator left running overnight.
The victims, a couple and their four young children, were discovered lifeless on Sunday morning after neighbours noticed unusual silence from the apartment and forced the door open.
Community sources said the family had been winding down preparations to return to Port Harcourt after the yuletide break when the tragedy struck.
“They were found in different corners of the house. It is heartbreaking,” a local resident who declined to be named told our correspondent.
“We want the police to thoroughly probe what happened.”
The incident first gained public attention after an Ogale resident, one Destiny John, posted the development on Facebook, lamenting the loss of the entire household.
Reacting to the report on Monday, spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the deaths.
She said preliminary findings indicated the generator had been placed inside the house for fear of theft.
“Yes, the incident is true,” Iringe-Koko said. “From what we gathered, the generator was inside the living room.
The investigation is ongoing.”
Generator-related deaths are common in communities heavily reliant on petrol-powered sets due to erratic electricity supply.