Firefighters in Kano State successfully extinguished a blaze that broke out at one of the oldest cemeteries in the state, located behind the abattoir in Fagge Local Government Area.
The fire, which erupted around 2:00 pm on Wednesday, January 21, 2025, consumed dry undergrowth and threatened to spread across the sprawling burial site, which is estimated to contain more than 10,000 old graves.
Despite the rapid spread of flames fueled by dry weather, prompt intervention by the Kano State Fire Service prevented the fire from devastating a larger portion of the historic cemetery.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but preliminary findings indicate human factors, particularly smoking within the cemetery, combined with the presence of dry grasses, may have sparked the blaze.
Confirming the incident, Kano State Fire Service Public Relations Officer Yusif Abdullahi said the agency received an emergency call at 2:02 pm from a resident, Bashir Hassan, reporting the outbreak at Abbatuwa Cemetery.
“Our men immediately mobilized from the Agency’s headquarters and on arrival, found part of the cemetery on fire, spreading quickly due to the dry grasses,” Abdullahi said.
He explained that firefighters acted swiftly to bring the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading to other sections of the burial ground.
“Although the fire was successfully extinguished, several areas of the cemetery were badly affected,” he added.
The fire service warned the public, particularly smokers, to avoid carrying naked flames or smoking within cemetery grounds and other fire-prone locations.
Abdullahi also reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to safeguarding lives, property, and heritage sites across Kano State.
