Yusuf Usman, a 45-year-old man, died in Kwa Town, Dawakin Tofa local government area of Kano State, after entering a disused well that had been converted into a refuse pit to retrieve a mobile phone. The Kano State Fire Service confirmed the incident in a statement released yesterday by its spokesperson, Saminu Yusif. The service received a distress call at 11:13am from one of its personnel, Kabiru Tata, alerting them to the situation. Rescue teams were dispatched immediately from the headquarters to the location.
Upon arrival, firefighters found Usman trapped inside the well. He was pulled out unconscious and later pronounced dead. Preliminary findings indicate he died from oxygen depletion and excessive heat in the confined space. The body was handed over to Alhaji Muktar, the ward head of Kwa Town, for burial.
Saminu Yusif said the well had been repurposed as a dumping site. The director of the State Fire Service, Sani Anas, responded by urging residents to ensure wells are properly covered. He also advised that abandoned wells should be filled to prevent future accidents.
Sani Anas warns against uncovered wells only after a man dies retrieving a phone from one converted into a dump. The same fire service that responded at 11:13am had no record of prior safety inspections at the site. If the well was known to be disused and repurposed, why was no action taken earlier. The residents of Kwa Town are left to bury their dead while waiting for reactive advice.
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