How Generator fumes kill two hairdressers in Lagos

Tragedy struck in the Ogba area of Lagos State, on Monday, after two hairdressers, identified as Temitope Olagunju and one Baraka, were found dead in the shop where they worked.

A third woman, an apprentice, was found unconscious and rushed to a general hospital, where she is receiving treatment.

It was gathered that the three women had turned on the generator and were watching television.

Shortly after, it started raining and they took the generator to a small enclosure in front of the shop.

A few hours later, their boss’ husband went to the shop and met the three of them unconscious.

Our correspondent learnt that he rushed them to a hospital, where two of them were pronounced dead and the third was admitted.

Temitope’s sister, Afusat said that the deceased had been taken to Ilogbo, Ogun State, for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.

She, however, said there could be more to the death of the 26-year-old, who was married with a child.

Afusat stated, “Temitope used to go to work in the morning and return home at night. We lived together. She started working in the shop just about three weeks ago.

“We were called around 7am on Tuesday that she died in the shop. We were told that her boss was not around when the incident happened.

“However, the boss’ husband said Temitope and her co-worker died. He said he had gone to give them money for food when he discovered that two of them were dead, but the third lady was foaming in the mouth.

“He said the fumes of the generator they were using killed them. He also told us that he took them to several hospitals.”

Our correspondent was told that while the family was preparing Temitope’s corpse for burial, blood spurted out from her nostrils.

Pictures showed that the white cloth with which she was wrapped for burial was soaked in blood.

Afusat wondered why the case was reported at the Red House Police Station, Iju Ishaga, and not at a station around Ogba, where the incident happened.

“The police released the man immediately. When he was called to return to the station this morning, they only asked him to raise money for the burial,” she added.

Temitope’s parents, who live in Abuja, asked the police to investigate the incident further and not blame their daughter’s death on generator fumes.

Her mother, Bolanle Akesode, prayed that the third victim, who is unconscious, would come round to give details of what happened.

“The husband of the woman, who owns the shop, is asking us not to escalate the matter and that we can settle it amicably,” she said.

Around 5pm on Tuesday, our correspondent was informed that Temitope had been buried with a few family members in attendance due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, who confirmed the incident, said it happened in the daytime and there were many witnesses.

He explained that the victims might have died from inhaling generator fumes.

Elkana stated, “It happened around 2pm on Monday while it was raining. Because of the rain, the victims locked the glass window of the shop and took the generator to a small extension in front of the shop. They further shut the glass entrance door. They were not doing anything, so they slept off.

“One of them, who woke up and probably realised the source of their problem, crawled to the place where the generator was to turn it off. But she could not make it; she collapsed with her hand on the generator. That was where her corpse was found.

“The husband of the owner of the shop was returning from work and decided to stop by to check on his wife when he saw the girls from the transparent glass and raised the alarm. People brought vehicles and tried to save their lives. But two died and one is still hospitalised.

“When the owner of the shop heard about it, she slumped and was rushed to hospital.” (The Punch)