9 die as car plunges into dam in Kano

By Baba Aminu

Kano State Fire Service has confirmed the death of 9 passengers when their vehicle plug into Fada Dam , in Gwarzo local government of the state.

A statement issued by the Service Public relations officer, Saminu Yusuf Abdullahi, on Sunday, said the incident occurred on Saturday at about 6.45pm.

The statement said the accident involved a Golf wagon car with 12 passengers coming from Kano and heading to Katsina.

Sources said the fire service arrived the scene after an hour.

SOLACEBASE gathered that the accident occurred as a result of a faulty vehicle parked at the middle of the road without proper beckoning for motorists to take caution.

The accident happened when the golf driver lost control and plunged to the dam after hitting a stone placed close to the faulty vehicle which was hardly noticed due to poor visibility as the sun had already set.

An eyewitness attributed overloading and  lack of quick response from authorities to the number of casualties recorded during the incident.

Eyewitnesses said the vehicle which was meant to officially carry driver and four passengers had fifteen persons onboard. And for more than two hours there was no intervention from fire service despite been informed and the short distance between the scene of the accident and Gwarzo town which was just less than ten kilometres.

”Rescue operation commenced only when good Samaritans decided to blocked the road to engaged all motorists plying the road to support saving the victims who were seen perishing helplessly.

Attempts to pull the car out of the dam were made using two different vehicles, a trailer and canter truck but all probed abortive.

”Fire service had not report to the scene up to 8:47pm when the rescuers gave up leaving one person in the river after all efforts to get him out probed abortive, ”eyewitnesses said.

The statement said ‘’On Saturday 19th November 2022, state fire service received an emergency call through Ali Mai Faci, at about 18:45 hrs and he reported an incident at Fada dam Gwarzo LGA Dayi road,

‘’When our men from Gwarzo fire station reached the area at about 19:10 hrs.’’

Read Also: 14 burnt to death in Kano auto accident

‘’They found that,  a Golf Wagon with unknown registration number, coming from Kano heading to Katsina, fell inside  Fada dam.’’

‘’Twelve people of Katsina state were rescued, all with unknown names.’’

‘’Victims involved are  2 girls of about 6 month, 4 women of about 30, 28, 27 and 25 years old, as well as 6 men of about 48, 45, 42, 40, 35 and 28 years old.’’

The statement added that ‘’with good effort of our men and local fishermen we successfully rescued three persons alive, while Nine people unconscious and conveyed all victims to Gwarzo General Hospital for medical attention and doctors confirmed the death of 9 people among the victims.’’

According to eye witness one victim one passenger is still missing, hence the search for the victims is ongoing.