Mysterious fire outbreak destroys over 100 houses in Bauchi, Nigeria

The acting district head of Soro in Darazo Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Alhaji Muhammad Kilishi, on Wednesday, informed that a mysterious fire outbreak had hit the town, razing more than 100 houses with property worth millions of Naira destroyed.

Alhaji Kilishi, who disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Bauchi, stated that as of now, no one knew the cause of the fire outbreak, saying that people only discovered that fire would come from nowhere and gut houses.

According to him, the mysterious fire outbreak started in October, saying, however, that, so far, no life had been lost in the incident.

"This fire is quite mysterious because it is not caused as a result of an electrical fault or bush burning. One just notices that fire from nowhere will start burning and before you know it, it has started destroying houses.

"This incident started mysteriously about a month ago, but no life has been lost since the outbreak. I don't know the meaning of this strange fire which cannot be traced to a cause," the acting district head said.

He, however, insinuated that the fire outbreak, which, he said, was abnormal, could be a spiritual attack on the town, calling on residents to continue to offer prayers to God to put an end to the incident.

According to Kilishi, "Maybe it is a spiritual attack or something else, I cannot say for now. It is just that it is quite abnormal for fire to appear from nowhere and start destroying properties within the communities."

He lamented that property of his people, worth millions of Naira, had been lost to the mysterious fire outbreak, though he expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost to it.

He then thanked the Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) for its quick intervention by coming to the aid of the victims, providing them with items like roofing sheets and other building materials, as well as food items.

Meanwhile, the state police command has confirmed the mysterious fire outbreak, saying that between October 1 and now no fewer than 164 houses were razed in the town.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, DSP Haruna Muhammed, last Monday alone, 21houses were razed by the mysterious fire outbreak.

"On the 10/11/2014 at about 07:00 hrs, a mysterious fire engulfed Soro town and razed down 21 houses. So far, between 1/10/2014 and now, one hundred and sixty four (164) houses where burnt down in the town mysteriously and cause of fire still unknown.

"However, no lost of life and no injury sustained, value of property destroyed yet unknown," DSP Mohammed said