By Uzair Adam
The Kano State Fire Service says a fire outbreak caused by an electric spark destroyed parts of three residential buildings and an electrical transformer site in Gaida area near Fatima Bread in Kumbotso Local Government Area.
The agency’s Public Relations Officer, Saminu Yusif Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, noting that the fire service received a distress call at about 11:05 a.m. on Tuesday from a resident, Aminu Bello, reporting the incident.
Abdullahi said firefighters from the agency’s headquarters, as well as Sharada and Rijiyar Zaki fire stations, were immediately deployed to the scene to contain the blaze.
According to him, when the firefighters arrived, they discovered that an open space measuring about 50 by 50 feet, which serves as an electrical transformer site, had already been engulfed by fire.
He explained that the fire later spread to old wooden ceilings and three nearby residential buildings. The first building, a ground-floor structure measuring about 30 by 25 feet and used as a dwelling house with one room, a parlour and a toilet, was fully ablaze.
The statement further noted that the second building, a one-storey house measuring about 30 by 30 feet and consisting of a bedroom, kitchen and toilet, had its upper floor severely affected by the fire.
A third ground-floor building of about 30 by 30 feet, containing two rooms and a toilet, was also caught up in the blaze.
The fire service said preliminary findings showed that the incident was caused by an electric spark.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Sani Anas, urged residents to take preventive measures against fire outbreaks.
He advised the public to avoid open flames in residential areas and to ensure the proper handling and maintenance of electrical appliances.
