By Abimbola Ogunnaike
The Kano State Fire Service has confirmed that at least three female passengers died while 13 other passengers sustained injuries when a commercial bus caught fire on Tuesday, 4 April, 2023.
The service Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Saminu Abdullahi, confirmed the incident in a statement released in Kano, explaining that the commercial vehicle, a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number XE 222 TRN, caught fire around the Government Technical College in Nassarawa Local Government Area of the state.
According to the service image-maker, the incident occurred while the bus, coming from Ajingi LGA to Kofar Wambai, erupts into fire.
Abdullahi, who said that fire personnel and officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps successfully put out the fire and rescued most of the victims, added that three women in the bus were burnt beyond recognition, gave two of their names as Surayya Umar and Zeenai Babaji.
The spokesperson of the service also said the remaining 13 victims, who sustained various degrees of injury, were taken to the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, for treatment.
Abdullahi said that the driver, Muhammed Gali, 35, and his bus conductor Hassan Danladi, 30, were also rescued without any injury and handed over to the police.
The fire service official, who attributed the cause of the accident to a speeding limit violation and a burst rear tyre, implored motorists to drive with caution.
