Tragic - Plumber drowns in well few weeks after marriage

It was a tragic happening when Emeka Okpala, a 40-year-old plumber, lost his life when he drowned in a well few weeks after he got married.

The sad incident which has thrown his Okpala's young widow and his family into mourning, happened at Oladogba Street in the Ikosi-Ketu area of Lagos State, as he was trying to install a pumping machine for one of his customers.


According to a resident of the area, Bilikisu Idris, Okpala may have survived if the owner of the project had raised an alarm on time when he fell into the well.

“Emeka Okpala was a very popular man on this street. He used to drive a BMW car, which he brought yesterday (Wednesday) to do the work. He was into all kinds of jobs and was very hardworking. He recently got wedded.

The owner of the well wanted to install a submersible pumping machine. Those who were asked to do the job turned it down and said the well was old. When he was called, Emeka said he could do it since it was not his first time.

He tied a rope to a generator and was descending the well when the generator fell on him in the well. He was crushed,” Idris said.

Okpala's body was discovered by woman who raised alarm and officials of the state fire service were invited but before they could arrive, he had given up the ghost.

The Director of the State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, confirmed the incident.

“Okpala wanted to install a pumping machine in the well when he got trapped. We received a distress call and the Alausa fire station responded.

One of our fire officers, Salau, who led the rescue operation, recovered him dead. The corpse was handed over to the police from the Alapere division.”