A devastating midnight fire outbreak has completely destroyed the residence of Malam Usman Abdu in Nassarawa Street, Bauchi, reducing the entire building and its contents to ashes, though no life was lost in the incident. The inferno occurred on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at about 11:00 p.m., in the large family compound where Malam Abdu has lived with his family for more than fifty years.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the fire broke out shortly after electricity supply was restored to the house following a brief power outage. Residents of the area disclosed that officials of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED) had installed a prepaid electricity meter in the house a day before the incident as part of ongoing efforts to meter previously unmetered households for improved accountability.
According to neighbours, a sudden spark was noticed in the children’s room at the point where electrical wiring entered the building, triggering a fire that spread rapidly across the house. Alarmed by the flames, neighbours raised shouts that alerted the family, leading to the immediate evacuation of all occupants of the house. Firefighters later arrived at the scene, but the intensity of the fire had already consumed the building. By the time the fire was brought under control, the house had been completely razed, with all household items, personal belongings, and property destroyed. Nothing was salvaged from the incident.
Residents described the incident as tragic and devastating, noting that the affected family lost virtually everything in the blaze. They also praised the swift response of neighbours, which helped avert casualties. In the aftermath of the incident, concerned residents and community members have called on spirited individuals, humanitarian organisations, relevant agencies, and government authorities to come to the aid of the affected family to support their recovery and help them rebuild their lives. Although the exact cause of the fire has not been officially established, preliminary indications suggest that an electrical fault may have triggered the outbreak.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the dangers posed by electrical faults and the need for proper electrical installations and safety measures in residential buildings. Authorities have advised residents to ensure that electrical wiring and installations are handled by qualified professionals and to exercise caution whenever power is restored after outages, as sudden surges can pose serious risks.
