{
  "id": 2942561,
  "title": "Phone technician loses 2 wives, children to fire in Yobe",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/phone-technician-loses-2-wives-children-to-fire-in-yobe",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-24T04:01:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/phone-technician-loses-2-wives-children-to-fire-in-yobe/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A phone technician in Yobe State has tragically lost his two wives and two young children in a devastating house fire. The incident occurred in the evening of Friday, with the victims found together in one of the rooms of their family compound. The 28-year-old senior wife, Bilkisu Bukar, and her 22-year-old junior wife, Salma, along with their two daughters - a newborn and a three-year-old - were among the six victims.\n\nMallam Bukar, the father, recounted that he had left home after bidding farewell to his wives to attend Friday prayers and then proceeded to his phone-repair business. Upon returning home after 6pm, he found the house completely engulfed in flames, with no valuables salvageable. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and Bukar stated he would not accuse anyone without concrete evidence. The two wives had lived together peacefully, with no known disagreements.\n\nOnly three family members survived the tragedy - Bukar, his son Adamu, and daughter Aishatu. Adamu, Bilkisu's son, said he had said goodbye to his mother before attending prayers and returned home later in the evening to find his family gone. The fire destroyed two thatched rooms, a mud bathroom, two poultry birds, and other household belongings. The family is now homeless and will relocate to a nearby settlement after the rainy season.\n\nThe victims were buried in accordance with Islamic rites at Rugar Audu Badali cemetery. Local authorities and emergency responders have been quick to respond to the incident, with the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency leading a joint assessment and condolence visit to the community. Questions remain unanswered regarding the incident, including how the fire started and why no one heard the victims' cries for help.",
  "summary": "A phone technician has lost his two wives and two children in a fire outbreak at Rugar Audu Badali Fulani community in Karasuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State. The incident occurred at about 5:30 pm on Friday while the four victims were in one of the rooms in the family compound, according to the family. […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}