By Gabriel Enogholase

THE last child of Mr. Hope Adeleke;  the policeman who recently lost five of his six children to kerosene explosion in Oghara, Delta State recently; died Saturday just as a 12-year old girl who was rushed from Kwale, also in Delta State, died from severe injuries she suffered from another kerosene explosion.

This has brought to eight the number of persons who have died from serial kerosene explosions  at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) where they were  admitted for treatment.

The 12-year old girl, who was brought from Kwale, was said to have suffered  98 percent burns.
Adeleke’s wife,  Edna remained, at press time,  in critical condition at the Accident and Emergency Unit of  where she has been receiving treatment since the kerosene explosion.

Also on Tuesday, a woman whose identity could not be ascertained  died at the teaching hospital from injuries she had sustained from kerosene explosion.

The woman and one of her children were said to have been rushed to the hospital from Ekehuan village near Benin City following injuries they sustained from the explosion, but the child was said to have survived after treatment and has since been discharged.

Meanwhile, Adeleke, the policeman whose six children have died from the Oghara kerosene explosion,  is said to be under deep emotional stress with medical personnel working hard to stabilize his condition.

Speaking on the serial kerosene explosions which appeared  to be as a result of scarcity of the product, yesterday, Director-General of Save Accident Victims of Nigeria [SAVAN], Dr. Eddy Ehikhamenor, called on the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation [NNPC] to warn  dealers and retailers against adulteration of kerosene.

While querying the high cost of kerosene, which now sells at about N130 to N150 per  litre, he called on the NNPC to embark on analysis of kerosene currently on sale to ensure that petrol was not mixed with other products, adding,  “NNPC officials owe Nigerians safety”.