The Kano State Fire Service has confirmed the deaths of an 18-year-old and an eight-year-old in separate drowning incidents in different parts of the state.
The Director of the service, Alhaji Sani Anas, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday and signed by the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Saminu Abdullahi.
According to the statement, the first incident occurred at Bachirawa, Kwanar Madugu, in Ungogo Local Government Area, where an 18-year-old, Yusif Malam-Gwani, drowned in an open water body.
Anas said the service received a distress call on Thursday afternoon from a resident, Sulaiman Abdullahi-Tela, reporting that the victim had fallen into the water.
He added that a rescue team from the agency’s headquarters was immediately dispatched to the scene, where the victim was recovered dead.
The remains were later handed over to the ward head of Bachirawa Quarters, Jibrin Isah.
In a related incident, an eight-year-old boy, Abdussalam Ibrahim, reportedly drowned after falling into a well at Kofar Yamma, Karaye town, in Karaye Local Government Area.
The statement said the distress call was received from a staff member of the service, Murtala Magaji, after which a rescue team was deployed to the location.
The child was also retrieved lifeless and handed over to his father, Malam Musa-Mudi.
The Fire Service urged residents to take safety precautions around open wells, water bodies and other hazardous areas, particularly to protect children.
The agency expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.