A fire outbreak has claimed the lives of three residents an elderly woman and two schoolboys in Gobirawa, a densely populated area of Sokoto metropolis.
The deceased elderly woman was identified as the wife of late Alhaji Sodangi Gobirawa, a former Group Managing Director of Lukuyawa Trading Company.
Reports indicate that the fire may have been deliberately ignited by an unidentified suspect at a furniture factory attached to the building. However, another account linked the incident to a sudden upsurge in electricity.
The inferno reportedly spread rapidly, destroying seven houses, leaving victims unable to salvage any belongings.
Eyewitnesses said the flames engulfed the area within minutes, leaving little chance for escape as thick smoke and intense heat overwhelmed those trapped inside.
Neighbours who rushed to the scene described moments of panic and helplessness as they tried unsuccessfully to rescue the victims.
“We heard shouts and saw fire everywhere. By the time we got there, we couldn’t do anything; it was already too late,” a resident said.
Authorities are yet to release an official statement on the incident, while investigations into the exact cause of the fire are ongoing.
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