By Nwanosike Onu, Awka
Six of the casualties of the Onitsha tanker fire disaster in Anambra state have been discharged from the Toronto hospital while two others are responding to treatment.
Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Emeka Ezeh, stated this on Sunday when a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Dr Obiorah Okonkwo, visited the victims.
Ezeh, who is the Chief Executive Officer CEO of the big hospital, said two other dead bodies were still at the hospital’s morgue waiting for identification from their people.
He said the two casualties remaining at the hospital were responding to treatment, adding that they had severe burns when they were rushed to the hospital on the day of the incident
Okonkwo, who was in tears on citing the remaining two patients, Blessing Egbugo from Imo and Ani Onuchukwu, prayed God to grant His grace on them
When he got at the destroyed Ochanja market, two kilometres from the hospital, the traders were still sober and still counting their losses.
Addressing the traders in their hundreds, led by their Vice Chairman, Nwabueze Umeh, the PDP Governorship hopeful, sympathized with them, describing the incident as sad, unfortunate and avoidable
He however, promised to send a good fire fighting ambulance to Ochanja market, adding that it was wrong and pure negligence to allow such a place to function without such equipment
Okonkwo, announced that his Foundation, Pro -life Foundation would make sure those affected by the inferno would participate in the rehabilitation of the victims, even though the government had taken responsibility of such.
Okonkwo called for immediate removal of all the bumps towards the Upper Works expressway, close to the Toronto hospital, saying they were the major reason for such accidents.
According to him: “Anambra is a Godly State, otherwise what happened on Wednesday would have been more than what we are seeing today.
Read Also: Onitsha tanker explosion: Nwodo in tears as market fire rages
“Our markets deserve the best attention from any government because they are the places that pay major taxes and generate enough Internally Generated Revenues IGR for the state
“What happened could have been avoided. It was pure negligence. We can not continue to weep all the time because we have abandoned our duties and responsibilities ”
“This market should be re designed and fire fighting equipment provided the way they are in other climes. What happened here few days ago is pathetic and should not be allowed to happen again.”
Okonkwo said those bumps along the expressway close to Upper Iweka, had to go off, to allow free flow of vehicular movements and to also, avoid further calamitous situations ”
The two remaining victims at the hospital, Blessing Egbugo and Ani Onuchukwu, told The Nation they believed in God
The duo, who expressed appreciation to the people for their prayers and concerns, thanked Okonkwo for visiting them with lots of goodies while equally, promising to off set their bills
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