Dr. Irene Rewane, eldest child of the late Ologbosere of Warri Kingdom, Chief O.N Rewane, and a retired radiologist, was in the wee hours of Wednesday burnt to death in Lagos state.
Although the exact cause of the inferno that gutted her residence at No 5 Tola Adewunmi Street, Maryland, could not be ascertained at press time, eyewitnesses’ account had it that smoke was noticed upstairs at midnight.
However, security men raised the alarm which saw private guards in the street reportedly trying to put out the fire.
According to reports, the inferno started from her bedroom in the duplex apartment occupied by her and a domestic staff.
Eyewitnesses disclosed to Vanguard that some people attempted to move in to rescue the 75-year-old Dr. Irene (nee Rewane), a staff of the Lagos University Hospital, LUTH, but the entrance door was locked.
“The young lady living with her later opened the door. By the time the fire was put out by the fire service men, she had been burnt to death,” eyewitness account revealed.
Lagos State Fire Service Director, Mr. Rasaq Fadipe, while confirming the incident, disclosed that men of the fire service got to the scene at about 4.02am.
Fadipe said as soon as they got the information, they tried to save the lives of the occupants.
He said: “It is a five-bedroom apartment.
“The woman, Dr. Irene Damola, lives upstairs, while the young lady staying with her lives downstairs. The fire started from her bedroom upstairs. We were able to prevent the fire from spreading to the ground floor.
“She made efforts to escape, but the fire caught up with her at the door of her bedroom, where my men met her dead.”
The Director said the corpse was handed over to policemen from Anthony Village Division.
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