Couple, two daughters die in Kano fire

Four members of a family were burnt to death in an early morning fire that engulfed their residence at Kundila Layin Baba Impossible in Tarauni Local Government Area of Kano State.

The Public Relations Officer, Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi, confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday.

He said the fire was reported around 4:13 a.m. by one of the service’s personnel, Abba Datti.

“One of our personnel, Abba Datti, reported the incident at about 4:13 a.m. today (Wednesday),” Abdullahi said.

According to him, when firefighters arrived, they found the ground-floor building—measuring about 40 by 30 feet and used as a residence—already engulfed by flames.

He added that the fire destroyed two bedrooms, a parlour, a kitchen and a toilet.

The statement added, “Five occupants were trapped inside the house, including the 43-year-old father, Shodandi; his wife, Rafi’a, 30; and their two daughters — 3-year-old Mardiya and one-and-a-half-year-old Yusira — all of whom were burnt to death.”

However, the agency said a 12-year-old boy, identified as Aminu Shodandi, was rescued alive by firefighters.

The Fire Service expressed condolences to the bereaved family and urged residents to exercise heightened caution in handling fire-related materials, especially during the harmattan season.

The statement added that preliminary findings showed the fire was triggered by a mosquito coil the family lit before going to sleep.

Recall that a recent fire outbreak also razed 29 shops and 19 stores at the popular Singer Market in Kano.

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