Three die as fire razes Cibeles Luxury Hotel in Edo

Three persons have lost their lives in a fire outbreak that gutted a hotel in Benin City.

DAILY POST reports that the tragic incident occurred at about 4 a.m. on Sunday, June 23, 2024, on the first floor of Cibeles Luxury Hotel, located at 9 Emoavwodua Street, off Limit Road, off Sapele.

The Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident and gave the names of the victims as Bright Amechi, Michael Awowea, and Cynthia Ogiugo.

Nwabuzor disclosed that some persons have been arrested in connection with the fire incident.

He said the victims, who were guests at the hotel, were sleeping in their rooms when the fire occurred.

According to him, the DPO contacted the Edo State Fire Service, which came and extinguished the fire. Three persons were found unconscious due to suffocation from the smoke.

“They were immediately rushed to Edo State Specialist Hospital on Sapele Road, Benin City, and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), where Bright Amechi and Michael Awowea were confirmed dead.

“While at Edo State Specialist Hospital, Cynthia Ogiugo was confirmed dead. The corpses have been deposited at the Stella Obasanjo Hospital mortuary in Benin City.

“The statement of Emmanuel Ogunyemi, the supervisor on duty at the time of the incident, alleged that the fire outbreak emanated from one of the rooms on the first floor of the hotel that was occupied by a lodger.

“The lodger of the said room, Andrew Roberts of Sapele Road, Benin City, was contacted, and his statement was taken. He said in his statement that the fire was caused by an electrical fault from the air conditioner in his room,” he said.

He added that the DPO disclosed that some persons have been arrested while investigations are ongoing to determine their culpability or innocence.

It was, however, gathered that the management of the hotel has reportedly taken responsibility for the tragedy and has reached an agreement with the families of the victims to cover all the burial expenses.

Efforts to obtain comments from the management of the hotel failed as of press time, but a source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that the hotel management also agreed to purchase a piece of land for the interment of the female victim, Cynthia Ogiugo.