60-Year-Old Church Usher Perishes in Midnight Fire in Edo

A 60-year-old man, identified as Oyemara Etebet, has d!ed in a midnight fire that gutted his residence at House Number 14, Bensoo Street, Benin City, Edo State.

The blaze, which occurred on Monday, September 15, 2025, also destroyed property worth millions of naira.

According to reports, Oyemara, a dedicated church usher and head of the electrical unit at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Okhoro, was indoors with his wife and other occupants when the fire erupted, leaving little time for escape. He was said to have been trapped while attempting to save valuables from the inferno.

His wife sustained severe burns and is currently receiving treatment at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

The tragic incident has thrown both the Holy Spirit Catholic Church and the wider Okhoro community into mourning.

It was gathered that officials of the Edo State Fire Service helped to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby properties.

The cause of the fire remained unknown.

The spokesperson of the State Police Command, CSP Moses Joel Yamu, confirmed the incident.

“It is confirmed. One 60-year-old, Etebet Oyemara, lost his life in the fire. Investigation is ongoing to unravel the cause of the incident,” he added.