42 Shops Gutted By Midnight Fire In Bauchi Varsity
No fewer than 42 shops located at the Student Centre of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, have been gutted by fire leading to the loss of properties worth millions of naira.
The shops destroyed were computer business centres, barber’s shop and provision stores.
The fire, which was said to have started at one of the shops, was reportedly caused by an electrical surge.
It is not yet known at what time exactly the fire started, but many believed that the fire possibly started at about 2:00am of today (Wednesday).
Multiple sources in the university said that no fire service was available to help save the situation.
A source said that the school’s Fire Service situated close to the main gate of the institution could not salvage the situation because their truck was not in good shape.
“I learnt that when the fire started, they alerted the University Fire Service but they said that the battery of the truck is faulty. They said they’ve reported to the management for a release of money for it to be fixed or for a new one to be bought but nothing was done.
“They said they kept writing to the management to release money for the purchase of a new battery, but they allegedly said that there was no money.
“They also contacted the Federal Fire Service but they said that they don’t have tyres in their truck, but I cannot verify how true that is. But it’s unfortunate that because of the ineffectiveness of the fire service, this great damage happened. I believe that if there were fire fighters, the fire would have been put out (and) these shops and properties would have been saved,” he said.
One of the victims of the incident, Pastor Alfred Joseph, who owns a computer business centre, said nothing was left in his shop.
He said that he was called by a friend and was told that his shop was totally burnt down.
