Six Siblings Die in Overnight Fire, Mother Hospitalised

Mangu town in Plateau State has been thrown into deep mourning following a tragic late-night fire outbreak that claimed the lives of six siblings in the Old Mangu Market area of Mangu Local Government Area.

The inferno, which broke out in the early hours of Thursday, left an entire family shattered and a community grappling with grief. The deceased children, all from the same household, were aged between four months and 12 years, according to family members.

An uncle of the victims, Umar Babangida, said the fire started while the family was asleep.

He told journalists that the incident occurred at about 2 a.m., catching the household unprepared.

“The mother and her nine children were watching television until about 11 p.m. Later, the three male children went to sleep, leaving the mother with the six younger ones,” Mr Aliyu said.

Tragedy struck hours later.

“We cannot categorically say what caused the incident. All we know is that there was a power supply before they went to bed. Around 2:30 a.m., we received a distress call that fire had engulfed the house,” he said.

In a desperate attempt to save her children, the mother reportedly rushed into the burning room but was unable to bring them out. She sustained severe burns in the process and is currently receiving treatment at the Allah Nakowa Hospital in Mangu.

“The mother tried all she could to save her children, but she couldn’t. That was how she sustained serious burn wounds,” Mr Aliyu added.

Residents of the area described the scene as heartbreaking, as neighbours struggled to contain the fire and rescue the trapped children. Despite their efforts, all six siblings were lost before help could reach them.

Beyond the immediate loss, the incident has once again raised concerns about fire safety in residential areas, particularly during the night when families are most vulnerable and emergency response can be delayed.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State and the Chairman of Mangu Local Government Area have since visited the bereaved family to commiserate with them.

According to Mr Aliyu, the governor urged the family to take solace in the tragedy and promised government support to help rebuild the destroyed house.

“The governor and our local government chairman have visited us to offer their condolences. We are grateful to everyone who came to our rescue during the incident,” he said.

Amid the sorrow, the family and community have found comfort in the solidarity shown by residents during and after the fire.

“During the fire outbreak, we saw love from both Muslims and Christians who trooped out in their numbers to help,” Mr Aliyu added.

As Mangu mourns the loss of six young lives, community leaders and residents continue to rally around the grieving family, offering prayers and support while calling for greater awareness and preventive measures to avert similar tragedies in the future.