Tragedy struck residents of Madina Quarters within the Bauchi metropolis on Sunday morning when a fire outbreak killed two of their children aged 5 and 7.

The two children, Zainab Bashir Muhammad (Hibba) and Ummu Salma Bashir aged between 7 and 5 years who were children of the same parents.

Information from the area indicated that the incident occurred at a house close to Barden Gabas Primary School adjacent to Tirwun quarters a suburb of Bauchi metropolis.

An eyewitness disclosed that the incident occurred around 11:00 am Sunday.

It was reported that the unfortunate incident occurred when the mother of the two deceased children locked them in the house and went on errands.

It was further said that she probably went to the market to purchase some items when the house went up in flames through yet-to-be-ascertained circumstances.

The eyewitness said, “When we noticed the fire from the house, myself and some neighbours rushed to the house, but our efforts to forcefully open the gate into the house probed abortive.

“In the process, we were able to get rid of the door with the use of some carpentry tools and gained entry into the house, but that was when the fire overpowered the room where the two children were sheltered.

“When we entered the house, we tried to force open the room where the children are staying; it was a real fire with heavy dark smoke, making it difficult for us to gain entry,” he added.

Another neighbour, Usman Abdullahi (Dan Usmanu) said that, “This thing is already destined by God, but it was not the habit of the bereaved mother to lock -up the children and go on errands. Most of the time, whenever she was going out, she used to drop the children in my house, because our houses are close to each another.

“Her husband, Bashir Muhammad was not at home when the incident occurred. Up to this time I am talking to you, we don’t know the actual cause of the fire incident,” he said.

Men of the state fire have tried their best to fight the fire to stop it from spreading to the surrounding houses and structures considering that it is dry season.

The dead children were later buried according to Islamic rites. (Courtesy, excluding headline, Nigerian Tribune)

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