3 die as fire engulfs commercial bus in Kano

The Kano State Fire Service said three female passengers died while 13 other passengers sustained injuries when a commercial bus caught fire on Tuesday.

The service Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Saminu Abdullahi, confirmed the incident in a statement he issued to newsmen in Kano.

He said 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 o(LGA) of the state.

He said the incident occurred while the bus, coming from Ajingi LGA to Kofar Wambai, was engulfed in fire.

The statement said that fire personnel and officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) successfully put out the fire and successfully rescued most of the victims.

Abdullahi, who said three women in the bus were burnt beyond recognition, gave two of their names as Surayya Umar and Zeenai Babaji.

Abdullahi said the remaining 13 victims, who sustained various degrees of injury, were taken to the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, for treatment.

He 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 speed limit violation and a burst rear tyre, implored motorists to drive with caution.