A tragic fire outbreak at an Islamic school in northern Nigeria has claimed the lives of at least 17 children, authorities have confirmed.
The incident occurred on Tuesday night in Kauran Namoda, Zamfara State, leaving several other pupils injured. The victims, aged between 10 and 16, were asleep when the blaze tore through the school.
Officials believe the fire started in a nearby house before spreading to the school, catching the students off guard. Emergency responders were deployed to the scene, but by the time they arrived, significant damage had already been done.
Police spokesman Yazid Abubakar confirmed that the deceased children were buried by the local community on Wednesday afternoon.
Eyewitness Yahaya Mahi described the challenges in reaching the affected area, saying, “Even if the firefighters had come on time, reaching the house would’ve been difficult due to the tight road leading to the house.”
In response to the tragedy, local authorities have vowed to implement safety measures in similar schools.
“We’ll take measures to prevent another occurrence of this nature,” said local official Mannir Haidara.
A grieving father who lost his child in the fire told BBC Hausa that while he was heartbroken, his faith in God was helping him through the ordeal.
Authorities estimate that around 100 students were present in the school at the time of the fire, with many coming from surrounding villages.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident, while efforts are being made to support the injured and affected families.
