BENIN CITY-A 13 year-old victim of kerosene explosion, which occurred at Urhonigbe town in Orhionmwon local government area of Edo State, has died after three weeks of excruciating pains at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), in Benin City.
The victim, Moses Mighty Mathew, a primary five pupil, died at the Female Orthopaedic ward in UBTH about 1:00 a.m, Wednesday.
When our reporter visited the hospital, doctors, nurses and patients at the Female Orthopaedic ward expressed shock at his death.
His aunt stated that the family is devastated by the unfortunate incident as they had hoped, he would survive the burns.
She disclosed further that the victim’s mother, who was beside the victim’s sick bed when he died, had been taken to the village, dejected.
The deceased was however described as a victim of poverty as he would have made it if he had received adequate medical attention at the wake of the explosion.
It will be recalled that a doctor at the Burns and Plastic Clinic at the hospital has stated a forthnight ago that the victim would need to undergo skin surgery after his condition had been stabilized.
The surgery was yet to be performed before he gave up the ghost.
It could not be ascertained at press time why the victim died.
Mother of the victim Mrs Eki John, a peasant farmer had appealed to Edo State Government, groups and kind-hearted individuals to assist her as without evidence of payment the victim may be denied the operation.
It was learnt that the second victim, a toddler has been taken home possibly due to lack of finance.
Mrs Eki John had disclosed that Moses was trying to refuel the family lantern when it exploded on them in their residence at Urhonigbe town.
She revealed that on hearing an explosion followed with a scream, she ran towards their direction only to meet her children burning like Hammatan fire.
She explained that the kerosene suspected to have been adulterated was bought from a lady who brings the product from Agbor town in Delta State to hawk at Urhonigbe in Edo.
She lamented that her present husband has given up on the medical bills of her son Moses whose father, Mr Mighty from Calabar, Cross River State, she stated, disappeared after his birth.
