A Middle-aged Man Sets Himself Ablaze

A middle-aged man, identified as King set himself ablaze in what many believed was an accomplished suicide mission on Sunday.

The incident occurred inside the victim’s room in Odaga community, Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Report says that King, had locked himself inside his room before setting himself on fire.

The incident, which had left the entire community worried, happened at dawn, a development that made it difficult for the victim to be rescued.

It was learnt that by the time neighbours noticed the smoke oozing from the deceased’s room, the fire incident had intensified which made it impossible for anybody to go in.

Neighbours had to break down the window to rescue the victim who was already unconscious.

Efforts to save the life of King, proved abortive as he died while being rushed to a nearby clinic for medical attention.

King could have possibly taken his life out of frustration as he had lost his male siblings and recently his mother, whose remains were still in the mortuary, a relative of the victim, Pastor Duke, told Southern City News.

The incident, according to Duke, aggravated his smoking and drinking habit, adding that Duke explained that the deceased who returned home on Sunday morning was drunk while holding a lit cigarette.

Duke added the fire could have started from the cigarette he was smoking before he slept off.

“King was a father of three and his wife is eight months pregnant; he was the only surviving male of his house and to make matters worse, he just lost his mother, who is still in the mortuary as we speak.

“It is possible that he was frustrated, because lately he has increased his smoking and drinking habits and is mostly drunk,” he said.