Tragedy struck in the early hours of Monday in Okrika, Rivers State, as six persons, including a pregnant woman, and an operative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), were electrocuted following the collapse of a high-tension cable.
It was gathered that the incident, which occurred at about 1:12 a.m. in the Okrika community, in Okrika Local Government Area, has thrown residents into mourning.
It was gathered that the high-voltage cable snapped and fell on a residential building, instantly electrocuting its occupants and setting the structure ablaze.
Eyewitnesses said the victims had no chance of escape, as the electrical surge spread rapidly, torching the building and destroying properties estimated at millions of naira .
Among the deceased were a pregnant woman, whose identity could not be immediately confirmed, and a yet-to-be-named NDLEA official.
Authorities in the area have since begun assessing the damage, while residents are calling on the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company and other relevant agencies to urgently investigate the cause of the cable collapse and ensure such a tragedy does not repeat itself.
Efforts to reach the PHEDC spokesperson as of the time of filing this report were unsuccessful.
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