Three people have been confirmed dead and another injured in two separate fire outbreaks that occurred in Kano State on Friday, according to the Kano State Fire Service.
The agency’s Public Relations Officer, ACFO Saminu Yusif Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday.
The first incident happened around 1:30 pm at Kura Market Junction along Zaria Road when a petrol tanker conveying 30,000 litres of fuel fell and exploded.
According to the Fire Service, the tanker — with registration number NGZ 250 XA — knocked down a cyclist before bursting into flames.
“We received a distress call from a retired Civil Defence officer, Danlami Muhammad, and immediately deployed our Emergency Response Unit,” Abdullahi said.
“On arrival, our men found the tanker completely engulfed in flames. Four people were affected; three were rescued unconscious and later confirmed dead, while the cyclist survived,” he added.
Firefighters, supported by police and FRSC personnel, battled the blaze before recovering the victims’ bodies, which were handed over to the Kura Police Division.
Two fire trucks from the service headquarters and Kura station were used to contain the inferno.
The second incident occurred at about 2:45 pm at Hamisu Plaza on Maiduguri Road in Taruni Local Government Area, where a fire broke out on the top floor of a two-storey building.
“On our arrival, the upper floor was already burning. Three shops were destroyed, but our team was able to save the remaining shops on the first and ground floors,” Abdullahi said.
A fire truck stationed at the location of the ongoing trade fair responded promptly to the emergency.
The causes of both the tanker explosion and the plaza fire are still under investigation.
The Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Alhaji Sani Anas, appealed to residents to be extra cautious as the harmattan season heightens fire risks.
He said, “We urge the public to handle fire carefully and motorists to obey traffic regulations. Many of these tragedies are preventable.”
Kano has witnessed multiple fire outbreaks in recent weeks. Nine days ago, four members of a family were burnt to death in a residential fire at Kundila Layin Baba Impossible in Tarauni LGA.
Also, on November 11, a major fire incident destroyed at least 25 temporary shops and 19 stores at the popular Singer Market in Kano metropolis.
