Two children have been reportedly killed in a fire incident in their home after their mother locked them inside to run errands.
Nigeriacrime.com learned that the incident which occurred at Medina quarters in the metropolis caused the death of 7 years old Zainab Muhammad (Hibba) and 5 years old Ummu Bashir.
An eyewitness said that the unfortunate incident occurred about 11a.m., on Sunday after the mother of the deceased children locked them in the house and went on an errand.
“When we noticed the incident, myself and some neighbours rushed to the house, but we could not forcefully open the gate to gain access to the house. Eventually, we were able to remove the door with the use of some carpentry tools.
“Alas, it was too late because the fire had overwhelmed the room where the two children were staying. All we could see was a large fire with heavy dark smoke,” Khalid Doya, an eyewitness said.
Another eyewitness, Usman Abdullahi wondered why the mother did not leave the children with her neighbours, which he said would have averted the tragedy.
“This thing is already destined by God, but it was not the habit of the mother to pick-up their children and go on errands. Most of the time when she was going out, she used to drop the children in my house, because our houses are close to each other.
“Her husband wasn’t at home when the incident occurred. As I talk to you, we don’t know the actual cause of the incident,” Abdullahi said.
Men of the Bauchi State Fire Service were on ground to put out the fire, which helped save some parts of the building.
In a related development, Sokoto Central Market was on Monday gutted by fire.
The fire which started about 5a.m. razed down part of the central market.
It was gathered that the fire destroyed the site where motorcycles were sold.
The fire was said to have started a refuse site to the market.
Chairman of Motorcycles Marketers Association, Shehu Muhammad said the fire destroyed a large number of motorcycles and shops.
“We are yet ascertained the number of motorcycles burnt by the fire, as the fire is still and raging.
“But many traders lost their shops along with their motorcycles because they did not come on time as the fire started about 6a.m.
“But the men of the federal and state fire service are currently battling to put it out, but I know it will take some time before they can quench it completely,” he said
He appealed to the state government to come to the aid of those who lost their property in the inferno.
It will be recalled that the market has been synonymous with fire outbreaks as another episode was recorded 2006 and 2021 with half of the Market destroyed during the last two fire outbreaks and the market is still under reconstruction.
Special Adviser to the governor on Sokoto Central Market, Ibrahim Gidado, described the fire outbreak as an act of God and prayed to Allah to prevent the occurrence of the unfortunate incident.
Gidado reacting to claims by victims of the fire incidence that officials of the central market were at fault considering the erection of a refuse dump in the central market, he said it was the immediate past management of the market that refused to show concern on the evacuation of refuse in the market.