Tragedy struck in Enwang, the Mbo Local Government headquarters on Monday when fumes, which emanated from a generating set claimed the lives of four members of a family of seven.
The family of Mr. Sunday Okon Antai was said to have gone to bed on that fateful Sunday oblivious of the fact that death was lurking around and waiting for who to take away.
Trouble started when Antai, who was the head of the family decided to put on his new electric generator and lock up it up in an enclosure.
Our correspondent gathered that Antai, who just fixed new aluminum windows on his new building, closed all the windows before going to sleep that night.
Antai, his two wives and four children were later rushed to a hospital in Ewang on Monday morning after they were found motionless on the ground.
An electrician, who had visited the house to carry out some jobs for the Antias, was surprised to have found out that the family was still sleeping with all the doors and windows locked.
The electrician was said to have peeped through one of the windows and saw what looked like three lifeless bodies before raising the alarm.
The elder brother to Antai, Mr. Edet Antai told our correspondent on Thursday in Mbo that when the electrician eventually gained entry into the building, he (electrician) noticed that his brother's second wife was gasping for breath.
“The electrician alerted us and we had to rush the seven of them, including a six-month-old baby to a hospital in Enwang. The doctor on duty later referred us to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital.
“Before we could get there four members of the family, including my brother had died. The doctors said it was as a result of carbon monoxide, which was inhaled by my brother and his family,” Antai's elder brother lamented.
He added that his brother decided to lock the generator inside in order to ensure that criminals did not invade the place and cart away the item.
As at the time of filing this report, Antai, his wife; Esther, Rose; his 14-year-old daughter and Victoria; a four-year-old girl had been buried, leaving three others as survivors.
It was also gathered that the second wife was currently receiving treatment at the hospital.
However, when our correspondent visited the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, a top official of the hospital confirmed that the deceased inhaled the poisonous carbon monoxide.
According to the official, who preferred anonymity, the family lost four of its members as a result of the generator that was placed in an enclosed environment.