Couple die from generator fumes in Rivers

A man and his wife have been confirmed dead after inhaling generator fumes in their apartment in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.

It was gathered that the unidentified man and his partner powered a generator inside their home, which led to their untimely demise.

An eyewitness, identified as James, disclosed that the incident occurred in the Port Harcourt Township area.

James, on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, explained that due to a power outage and heavy rainfall at the time of the night, the couple resorted to placing their generator inside their apartment.

“They must have assumed that positioning the generator in the passage would not affect them in the bedroom,” he said.

James recounted that by late Saturday morning, neighbours became concerned when the couple had not come out of their room.

James said after the co-tenants waited and knocked on their door to ascertain their well-being, they decided to break into the apartment.

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He added: “Upon forcing entry, they discovered the lifeless bodies of the couple.

“Subsequently, the incident was reported to the Central Police Station in Port Harcourt Township.”

Confirming the incident, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, stated that the couple died from carbon monoxide inhalation.

Iringe-Koko further disclosed that their corpses had been deposited at the morgue.

A medical practitioner based in Port Harcourt, Dr Chinazor Offor, explained that carbon monoxide displaces oxygen from haemoglobin, leading to heart and respiratory failure.

“If a person is exposed for between five to 15 minutes, the heart ceases to pump blood, which ultimately affects both the brain and respiratory system,” she said.

Offor advised the public against placing generators near living spaces, warning that generators should be positioned far from homes to prevent direct exposure to toxic fumes.

The Star