A set of twins aged five years old have been killed in a fire after their mother left them home alone to visit her boyfriend. The tragic incident occurred in Calabar, Cross River state on 22nd October 2018.

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Reports have it that the twin boys, Bishop and Ituobong were consumed in a fire that started from a candle placed on the refrigerator by their mother.

A neighbour and victim, Daniel Udoh, said the tragedy was quite unfortunate and could have been avoided but for the carelessness of the mother of the children.

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Udoh said, “Their mother made them tea and bread and left for her boyfriend’s house leaving a candlelight on the refrigerator and asked them to off the candle when they were done but they slept off. I started noticing smoke at about 1 am and before I could come out with my son my house was already in flames from the roof while the woman’s room was already engulfed in fire. We tried putting off the fire but it was very difficult because of the rubber ceiling(PVC) which eventually escalated the fire that took over the entire compound.”

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Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Cross River State, DSP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the incident, adding that “the lady is at our office because we leant the people in the neighbourhood wanted to lynch her. They blamed her that it was her fault that the children died in such a tragic manner because she went to sleep at her lover’s place.”