Tragedy struck Kano State on Friday as two separate fire incidents claimed the lives of three people, with one person sustaining injuries, according to the Kano State Fire Service.
The first calamity unfolded around 1:30pm at the Kura Market junction along Zaria Road, when a petrol tanker carrying 30,000 litres of fuel overturned and exploded. The tanker, registered NGZ 250 XA, reportedly ran over a cyclist before bursting into flames.
The Kano State Fire Service confirmed in a statement released on Saturday that four people were caught up in the inferno.
“Four people were affected; three were rescued unconscious and later confirmed dead, while the cyclist survived,” the statement said.
The Emergency Response Unit was alerted by a retired Civil Defence officer, Danlami Muhammad, prompting the immediate deployment of firefighters from both the headquarters and the Kura station. Police and FRSC officers assisted in containing the blaze, and the deceased were handed over to ASP Ahmad Lawan of the Kura Police Division.
The cause of the tanker crash remains under investigation.
Barely an hour later, around 2:45pm, firefighters were called to Hamisu Plaza on Maiduguri Road in Taruni Local Government Area after flames consumed the upper floor of the two-storey commercial building.
Three shops were completely destroyed, though fire crews managed to save the remaining businesses on the ground and first floors. A fire truck stationed at a nearby trade fair quickly responded to the emergency. The cause of this blaze is also under investigation, the statement added.
Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Alhaji Sani Anas, urged residents to exercise caution when handling fire, particularly during the dry harmattan season. He also reminded motorists to follow traffic rules to prevent avoidable tragedies.
These incidents follow a series of recent fires in Kano. Just nine days ago, four members of a family perished in a morning blaze at their residence in Kundila Layin Baba Impossible, Taruni Local Government Area. Earlier this month, 25 temporary shops and 19 stores were destroyed by fire at the popular Singer Market in Kano metropolis.
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