The Kano State Fire Service has extinguished a daytime fire that engulfed parts of one of the oldest cemeteries in Kano State, located behind the abattoir in Fagge Local Government Area of the metropolis.
The fire, which broke out at about 2:00 pm, razed dry undergrowth within the cemetery and threatened to spread across the vast burial ground, which reportedly contains more than 10,000 old graves.
Although the flames spread rapidly due to dry weather conditions, prompt intervention by firefighters prevented the inferno from consuming a larger portion of the historic site.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but preliminary findings by the Kano State Fire Service point to human factors, particularly smoking within the cemetery, combined with the presence of dry grasses.
Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Fire Service, Yusif Abdullahi, said the agency received a distress call on Wednesday, January 21, 2025, at about 2:02 pm from a resident, Bashir Hassan, reporting a fire outbreak at Abbatuwa Cemetery in Fagge.
“Immediately, our men from the Agency’s headquarters mobilised to the scene. On arrival, they found part of the cemetery on fire, which had spread rapidly due to dry grasses within the premises,” Abdullahi said.
He added that firefighters swiftly commenced operations and succeeded in bringing the fire under control, preventing it from spreading to other sections of the cemetery.
“Although the fire was successfully extinguished, several parts of the cemetery were badly affected,” he noted.
The fire service has warned members of the public, especially smokers, to desist from smoking or carrying naked flames within cemetery premises and other areas prone to fire outbreaks.
Abdullahi reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting lives, property, and heritage sites across Kano State.
Ahmad Sorondinki, Kano
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