A late-night fire on Thursday gutted a female hostel annexe at Gombe State University, sparking panic among students and leaving three hospitalised.
The incident, which occurred in a bungalow-shaped hostel within the campus, was reportedly triggered by a cooking gas explosion.
Confirming the outbreak in a telephone interview on Friday, the Public Relations Officer of the Federal Fire Service, Gombe Command, Assistant Superintendent of Fire, Bashir Muazu, described the incident as “unfortunate.”
“It was caused by LPG, cooking gas. Based on preliminary investigation, it was due to unattended cooking by a student,” Muazu said.
He disclosed that while no fatalities were recorded, three students were taken to the hospital.
“Some were treated for anxiety, while others suffered from smoke inhalation,” he added.
Findings revealed that the university had only recently lifted a long-standing ban on gas cylinders in hostels, previously restricting students to kerosene stoves over safety concerns.
Some students, however, criticised the institution’s emergency response, citing poor fire safety infrastructure.
“The fire could have been put out quickly if the school’s fire service was functioning,” one of them lamented.
Efforts to reach the university’s spokesperson, Hadu Naphtali, were unsuccessful as calls and messages went unanswered.
Meanwhile, the State Controller of the Federal Fire Service, DCF S.M. Sulaiman, has advised the university to immediately reinstate the ban on gas cylinders in hostels.
“This decision is aimed at preventing future accidents and ensuring the safety of students. The Command is committed to working closely with the university management to enhance fire safety measures,” Sulaiman said.
He also urged students and staff to prioritise safety and promptly report hazardous situations to the authorities.