by Nurat Uthman
Bauchi has been thrown into mourning following the sudden deaths of two children who were reportedly killed in a fire incident in their home after their mother locked them inside to run some errands.
The incident that occurred at Medina quarters in the metropolis caused the deaths of 7-year-old Zainab Bashir Muhammad (Hibba) and 5-year-old Ummu Salma Bashir.
An eyewitness told Vanguard reporter that the unfortunate incident occurred around 11:00 a.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 get rid of 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 Mai Doya, who was an eyewitness, told Vanguard.
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, whenever she was going out, she used to drop the children off at my house because our houses are close to each other.
“Her husband wasn’t at home when the incident occurred. Up until this time, I am talking to you; we don’t know the actual cause of the incident,” Abdullahi said.
Vanguard reports that some men of the Bauchi State Fire Service were on the ground to tame the raging fire, which helped to save some parts of the house.
