A devastating midnight fire has claimed the lives of five members of the same family and destroyed property worth millions of naira at the Kofar Sauri community in Katsina metropolis.
The inferno, which occurred at about 3:00 a.m. on Monday, engulfed the home of 35-year-old Muhammad Habibu before neighbours could intervene. Habibu, his wife Fatima Muhammad, and their three children — Khadija, Abubakar, and Aliyu — were all burnt beyond recognition, leaving the community in deep shock.
Until his death, Habibu worked as a casual staff member at the Katsina State Water Board.
Although the exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined, residents suspect it was triggered by a high-voltage surge when electricity was restored to the area. The fire was said to have started from the living room before spreading rapidly throughout the building while the family was asleep.
Neighbour Magaji Bala lamented the recurring issue of erratic power supply and dangerous voltage spikes in parts of the metropolis. “Such cases have been happening in some areas. Recently, a similar incident nearly happened. This calls for caution among residents,” he said.
Eyewitnesses reported that efforts by neighbours to put out the fire were unsuccessful, with some expressing dissatisfaction over what they described as a late response from the Katsina State Fire Service. However, Chief Fire Officer Rabe Kurmiyal confirmed that firefighters eventually extinguished the blaze.
A relative, Kasim Aliyu, recounted sensing something unusual around 3:30 a.m. before receiving a heartbreaking call. “I got a call around 4:00 a.m. informing me that my brother and his entire family had died. May their souls be admitted into Aljannah Firdausi,” he said.
Residents have since appealed to authorities to address the frequent occurrence of such electrical-related fires, which often claim lives within minutes.
The Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Hajiya Binta Dangani, visited the scene to commiserate with the affected family. She described the tragedy as the will of God and prayed for forgiveness for the deceased. Dangani assured the family of government support and urged residents to always switch off electrical appliances before bedtime and handle fire with care.
She confirmed that SEMA had conducted an on-the-spot assessment in preparation for providing relief materials.
