Three siblings on Saturday lost their lives in an early morning inferno that engulfed their family house at Ugwu Cheleku Village, Okija in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Police spokesman in the state, Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the incident in a statement in Awka, said the fire also destroyed properties worth millions of naira.

He gave the names of the deceased children as Chimamkpam Aduhuba, aged 5 years, Munachimso Aduhuba, 2 and Kamsiyochi Aduhuba, 2 months old. They were the children of Chukwuma Aduhuba.

The fire outbreak, PREMIUM TIMES learnt, occurred around 2.00 a.m.

The police statement reads: “today February 15 at about 02:am, there was a fire outbreak at the resident of one Chukwuma Aduhuba ‘m’ of Ugwu Chelekwu Village, Okija in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.

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“As a result three of his children namely (1) Chimankpan Aduhuba ‘m’ aged 5years (2)Munachimso Aduhuba ‘m’ aged 2years and (3) Kamsiyochi Aduhuba ‘f’ aged 2 months sustained varying degrees of burns and died on the spot while property worth millions of Naira were destroyed.

The spokesman noted that following the distress call, a police patrol team led by DPO Okija Division rushed to the scene,cordoned of the area and the fire was put off by local volunteers before the arrival of firefighters.

“Meanwhile, the victims were photographed and corpses buried by parents according to their customs”, he said.

“Consequently, the Commissioner of Police CP John B.Abang,fdc has ordered for a discreet investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident please.”