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Family Of Five Die In Midnight House Fire in Katsina.
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Residents blame unstable electricity while authorities dispute power-surge claims.
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Emergency agency begins assessment as community demands power reforms.
A predawn fire on Monday claimed the lives of a couple and their three children in the Kofar Sauri area of Katsina metropolis, destroying their home and property worth millions of naira.
The victims were identified as 35-year-old Muhammad Habibu, his wife Fatima Muhammad, and their children Khadija, Abubakar, and Aliyu.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that
The family was trapped inside their home after the fire, which residents believe may have been sparked by a power surge shortly after electricity was restored in the area. Witnesses said the blaze began around 3:00 a.m. in the living room and spread rapidly while the family was asleep.
A relative of the deceased, Kasim Aliyu, told newsmen that he first heard someone reciting prayers before realising tragedy had struck. He said he later received a call informing him that his younger brother, Muhammad, and his entire family had died.
Neighbours said they tried to put out the fire but could not contain it. Some alleged that firefighters arrived late, although Chief Fire Officer Rabe Audi Kurmuyal disputed the claim, insisting his team responded promptly and brought the situation under control.
Residents linked the incident to persistent power fluctuations in the area, blaming recurring high-voltage surges for similar fires recorded in Sabuwar Unguwa, Kwamren Dorowa, and Abbatoir. However, KEDCO Regional Manager in Katsina, Aminu Bukari, argued that it was unlikely for a surge to affect only one house in a neighbourhood of thousands.
The Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Emergency Management Agency, Binta Hussaini Dangani, who visited the scene, described the tragedy as a painful loss. She said the agency had begun an assessment to provide support and urged residents to adopt basic safety measures, including switching off electrical appliances before bedtime.
The incident has renewed public calls for urgent intervention to fix the state’s electricity challenges, which many residents say have persisted for nearly a decade.
