A petrol black market operator, Gideon Dalyop Pam and his wife, Mercy Joseph have been burnt to death in Jos, Plateau State in a fire incident caused by stored fuel.
It was learnt that fire erupted from the kitchen where the husband stored some fuel on Thursday, March 3, at their residence in Zawan community of Jos South Local Government Area of the state.
An eye witness and neighbour, Miss Shantel Alphonsus, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Pam sold illegal petrol at Zawan Junction.
“In the morning, he was called upon to get more supply from a fuel station, so he rushed back home to get some empty gallons to hoard scarce petrol.
“In a bid to empty some of the gallons that had fuel in them, suddenly there was fire outburst in the kitchen where the gallons were kept and Pam was trapped.
“His wife, Mercy, who had gone out earlier returned and saw smoke emitting from the house. She went into the house to save her husband, but was equally trapped in the inferno,’’ Alphonsus said.
She added that the deceased couple left behind a four-month-old baby who had earlier been taken away by Pam’s mother at an earlier visit.
Caleb Polit, Director, Plateau Fire Service, confirmed the incident and expressed regret that the couple was burnt beyond recognition and the house razed before firemen could reach the scene.
