Father, Mother, and Two Young Daughters Burnt to Death in Early Morning Kano Fire Caused by Mosquito Coil

A family of four tragically lost their lives in a devastating early morning fire that engulfed their residence in the Kundila Layin Baba Impossible area of Tarauni Local Government Area, Kano State, today, Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

The deceased were identified as 43-year-old father, Shodandi; his 30-year-old wife, Rafi’a; and their two daughters, Mardiya, aged three, and Yusira, who was only one and a half years old.

The tragic incident was confirmed by the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi, who stated that the distress call was received at about 4:13 a.m.

“When our firefighters arrived at the scene, the ground-floor building was already fully engulfed by flames. Five occupants were initially trapped inside the house,” Abdullahi said.

The prompt response of the fire service teams, however, led to the rescue of a 12-year-old boy, Aminu Shodandi, who was the only survivor from the unfortunate incident.

Cause and Cautionary Warning

Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire, which destroyed two bedrooms, a parlour, and other sections of the residence, was ignited by a mosquito coil the family had lit before sleeping.

The Fire Service extended its deepest condolences to the bereaved family and used the tragedy as a moment to issue a strong warning to all residents, particularly during the dry Harmattan season. Residents are strongly urged to exercise heightened caution in handling all fire-related materials, especially when using coils, candles, or electrical appliances overnight, to prevent similar preventable tragedies.