By Muazu Hardawa, Bauchi
The community of Madina Quarters in Bauchi metropolis was on Sunday thrown into mourning following the death of two primary school pupils, Zainab Bashir Muhammad (Hibba) and Ummu Salma Bashir aged between 7 and 5 years following a fire incident gutted their house.
The incident occurred at a house closed to Barden Gabas Primary School adjacent to Tirwun Quarters in Bauchi.
The unfortunate incident happening when the mother of the two deceased children locked them in the house and went to market to purchase some items when the house went on flames.
“When noticed the incident, some neighbours rushed to the house, but the effort to forcefully open the gate into the house probed abortive. In the process, they were able to get rid off the door with the use of some carpentry tools and gained entry into the house, but that was when the fire overpowered the room where the two children sheltered.
“When we entered the house, we tried to force open the room where the children are staying, it was really fire with heavy dark smoke”, said our reporter who was an eye witness to the incident.
Another neighbour to the inferno, Usman Abdullahi (Dan Usmanu) said, “This thing is already destined by God, but it was not the habit of the mother to pick-up their children and go on errant. Most of the time whenever she is going out, she used to drop the children in my house, because our houses is closed to one another.
“Her husband with name Bashir Muhammad wasn’t at home when the incident occurred. Up to this time I am talking to you, we don’t know the actual cause of the incident.”
Men of the state fire service have tried their best in quenching the fire, the deceased were buried according to Islamic rites on Sunday.