Yobe Varsity Hostel Fire Outbreak Caused by Gas Cylinder Explosion – VC
By Bala Dauda , Damaturu
Professor Mala Daura, Vice Chancellor of Yobe State University, Damaturu, has said that cooking gas cylinder explosion might have caused the recent fire incident in the institution.
Our correspondent reports that on Febuary13, fire completely razed a female hostel containing 195 students in the institution.
Daura, at a press conference in Damaturu on Friday, said : “ Based on explosions at the scene, one cannot rule out gas cookers at the hostel, which is natural with students.”
The vice chancellor said although all the students were safely evacuated from the building, most of them lost all their belongings.
Daura said a committee was already set up by the university to ascertain the actual cause of the incident to prevent future occurrence.
He commended the university’s fire service unit and its sister agencies for their prompt response to put off the fire which began at about 7pm.
The vice chancellor said the institution had concluded arrangements to move the displaced students to a decent accommodation within the institution to continue their studies.
Daura expressed gratitude to the state Emergency Management Agency for supporting the 195 students with food items, fabrics and cash donation of N100,000 each.
He also appreciated the moral, financial and material support from humanitarian organisations, top government functionaries, associations, businesses community, the media, among others.
The vice chancellor said all financial and material supports were documented, assuring that only the affected students would benefit from them.
