An explosion from an electricity transformer, on Wednesday. at Yaunde, Tumfure Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State resulted in the death of no fewer than three persons, including a mother and her daughter.
According to sources, the tragedy occurred when a transformer exploded due to the heavy wind that blew the high tension cable to touch the service line that brought power to the transformer.
Our correspondent gathered that the mother of four, identified simply as Mrs. Patrick, died with her daughter.
She was said to have woken up following the sudden power surge to switch off her refrigerator but was electrocuted.
Her daughter, who went to touch the deceased at midnight, was also electrocuted due to the current.
One other person, a man, was also killed while trying to switch off his electrical gadgets within the neighbourhood.
One of the houses on the same street belonging to a pastor was reportedly razed.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mahid Mu’azu, confirmed the incident, saying three persons were confirmed dead at the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe.
“Two of them are women and one man. We are still investigating the cause of the incident, but the interim report said it was due to a power surge,” he said.
Meanwhile, the State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, who paid a condolence visit to the victims’ families, donated N1.5 million to the affected families.
Yahaya directed the State Emergency Management Agency to provide relief materials for the families who lost their property to the incident.
The governor also directed Jos Electricity Distribution Company to immediately look into the remote and immediate cause of the incident to avert a repeat of the tragedy.
Attempts made to reach the Head of Corporate Communications of JEDC, Dr. Elijah Adakole, proved abortive when filing this report.
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