A late-night fire outbreak has claimed the lives of six siblings in Mangu town, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, leaving the community in deep mourning.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday near the Old Mangu Market area. Family members said the victims, all children of the same parents, were aged between four months and 12 years.
An uncle of the deceased children, Umar Babangida, told reporters that the fire broke out at about 2:00 a.m. He said the children’s mother sustained severe burns while attempting to rescue them and is currently receiving treatment at Allah Nakowa Hospital in Mangu.
According to him, the family had retired for the night shortly before the incident. “The mother and her nine children were watching television until about 11 p.m. Later, the three older boys went to sleep, leaving the mother with the six younger children,” he said.
He added that the exact cause of the fire could not be immediately determined. “We cannot categorically say what caused the incident. There was power supply before they went to bed. Around 2:30 a.m., we received a distress call that the house had been engulfed by fire,” Babangida explained.
He said the mother made desperate efforts to save the children but was overwhelmed by the intensity of the blaze. “She tried everything possible to bring them out, but she could not. That was how she sustained serious burn injuries,” he said.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang and the Chairman of Mangu Local Government Area have since visited the bereaved family to commiserate with them. According to the family, the governor urged them to take solace despite the tragedy and pledged government support to help rebuild the destroyed home.
“The governor and the local government chairman came to console us. We are grateful for their visit and support,” Babangida said.
He also commended residents of the area for their swift response and solidarity during the incident, noting that people from different religious backgrounds worked together in an attempt to control the fire and rescue the victims.
“During the fire outbreak, we witnessed unity. Both Muslims and Christians came out in large numbers to help,” he added.
Authorities are yet to officially determine the cause of the fire, as investigations continue.
