A predawn fire on Monday engulfed a family residence in the Kofar Sauri area of Katsina metropolis, killing a couple and their three children and destroying property worth millions of naira.
Naija News learnt that the victims, a 35-year-old Muhammad Habibu, his wife Fatima Muhammad, and their children Khadija, Abubakar, and Aliyu, were trapped as the fire spread rapidly through the house.
Habibu was said to be a casual staff member at the Katsina State Water Board until his death.
Although the exact cause of the inferno is yet to be officially determined, residents suspect it may have been triggered by a power surge shortly after electricity was restored in the area.
Witnesses told newsmen that the fire originated from the family’s living room around 3:00 a.m., spreading through the building while the occupants were still asleep, cutting off all escape routes before they noticed.
Daily Trust quoted a relative of the deceased, Kasim Aliyu, as having disclosed that he first heard a distant voice chanting a prayer without knowing tragedy was unfolding nearby.
“Around 3:00 a.m., I heard a woman reciting ‘Innalillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un’. I thought it was normal until around 3:30 a.m. when I sensed something was wrong,” he said.
Kasim added, “The head of the household was my younger brother from the same father. The fire gutted the house around 3:00 a.m. I didn’t know what was happening until I received 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.”
Neighbours said all attempts to fight the fire failed, claiming the fire service arrived late.
A resident, Musa Hamza, told Daily Trust that although firefighters eventually responded, it was too late to save the victims.
He said, “By the time the fire service arrived, the family had already died. They tried their best to extinguish the flames, but they couldn’t rescue anyone. May their souls rest in peace.”
Another neighbour, Magaji Bala, lamented the recurring problem of power fluctuations in the area.
“We sometimes go days without electricity, and when power returns, it comes with high voltage. Incidents like this have been happening in parts of Katsina metropolis. This calls for caution among residents,” he said.
However, the Chief Fire Officer, Rabe Audi Kurmuyal, dismissed claims that his men arrived late, insisting the fire was brought under control promptly.
Some residents blamed the persistent power fluctuations attributed to the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO). They cited similar incidents in Sabuwar Unguwa, Kwamren Dorowa, and Abbatoir areas.
But the KEDCO Regional Manager in Katsina, Aminu Bukari, disagreed, saying: “It is unlikely for a high-voltage surge to affect only one house in a community of over 5,000 homes.”
The Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Binta Hussaini Dangani, who visited the scene shortly after the incident, described the tragedy as “the will of God” and prayed for the souls of the deceased.
She said the agency had already carried out an on-the-spot assessment to facilitate relief assistance to the affected family.
Dangani urged residents to adopt safety measures: “People should always switch off electrical appliances before going to bed and handle fire with utmost care.”
Meanwhile, relatives and neighbours described the incident as deeply traumatising. Kasim Aliyu urged authorities to urgently address persistent power instability in the state.
Katsina residents have endured nearly a decade of unstable electricity supply, with many blaming decaying infrastructure and official negligence for recurring power-related disasters.
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