FUTO: Tragedy As Generator Fume Kills 200-Level Undergraduates

Barely a week after a 100-level chemistry student at the Federal University of Technology Owerri committed suicide in his room, another tragedy struck on Thursday as two students of the institution lost their lives to generator fume.

THE WHISTLER gathered that the incident took place at Jabulani Lodge, an off-campus hostel in the Eziobodo area of the town.

Our correspondent also gathered that the deceased students were Udeagbala Kenechukwu (a.k.a Kodak) and Anene Stephen Nzube, both 200-level students of the department of Civil Engineering.

Stephen and one other student were said have passed the night at Kenechukwu’s room.

Kenechukwu had left his generator and air conditioner on while they went to bed on Thursday. The third person, Fredrick Eberechukwu, was found lying unconscious and was rushed to the university’s hospital.

An eyewitness who preferred anonymity told our correspondent that the incident was brought to the notice of other residents of the lodge when the victim’s course mates came to check on them after they missed a test.

“His course mates were knocking at his door and we asked them what happened, they said Kodak and his two friends did come to the test venue to write test today and the last person that saw them said they were going to sleep over at Kodak’s lodge.

“They were knocking on the door and we remembered that the guy always locks his door with a padlock if he is not around and this time, it was locked from the inside indicating that they were inside.

“So, someone had to go through the balcony to peep inside the room and saw blood sprinkles on the floor and saw the lifeless bodies and had to raise alarm.

“They obviously died from carbon monoxide because their generator exhaust pipe was facing their balcony door and he had his Air conditioner on which probably distributed the fumes.

Speaking to THE WHISTLER on the sad incident, the university’s Student Union Government President, Comrade Timothy Eberechukwu, said the third student was now in stable condition at the institution’s medical center.

“The reports that we are making is that the student that survived, Fredrick Eberechukwu said the last thing he remembered was that they were suffocating and the generator was on. So, it was like the generator fumes entered their room and their air conditioner helped spread the dangerous fumes.

“Fredrick is stable now and is receiving treatment at the school’s medicals.”

Eberechukwu added that the dead bodies of other two were taken evacuated by the police and deposited at a mortuary.

“they were taken to a mortuary; the police came to the scene and called the mortuary attendants to come evacuate the dead bodies.”