by ‘Jola Sotubo

A night time inferno in Ogbogoro, a riverside community near Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, has claimed the life of a little girl.

Princess, 5, died in the fire which was caused by a candle left lit by her older sister who went out to buy some food after using the artificial source of light for her home work.

The father of the child, a policeman, was away at work while her mother, a trader was still at the market when the fire started in the home at about 7.30pm

Vanguard reports:

The deceased child, simply identified as Princess, eyewitnesses told Saturday Vanguard, was a daughter of a policeman attached to the Osiama Division of the State Police Command in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state.

It was gathered that the inferno which occurred at about 7.30pm was caused by a burning candle.

Saturday Vanguard learnt that at the time of the incident, the mother of the deceased was in the market selling crayfish while the father was away at his duty post in the creek of the state.

It was learnt that the sister to the deceased, who is a Junior Secondary School (JSS) student, had made use of the candle light in solving her school homework.

She was said to have left the candle burning and went out to get some foodstuff for her siblings.

”While she was away, the candle fell and set ablaze the fabrics on the floor of the room. The deceased and her 7-year old brother, Henry, were in the room but attempt by the latter to wake the sister proved abortive,” the source said.