A fire outbreak has gutted a section of the female hostel at Bayelsa Medical University (BMU) in Yenagoa, destroying students’ personal belongings and raising fresh concerns over safety conditions within the facility.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday night, reportedly started in one of the hostel rooms and quickly spread, engulfing valuables including laptops, documents, clothing, and other personal items. Fortunately, no lives were lost, as occupants managed to escape in time.
Students who witnessed the incident described scenes of panic as thick smoke and flames filled the building.
According to a 400-level Nursing student, the fire broke out shortly after 9 p.m., initially mistaken for a routine electrical spark a recurring issue in the hostel.
“Less than 20 minutes after I went to bed, I heard people shouting. At first, I thought it was one of the usual electrical sparks we’ve become used to, but then it escalated. My roommate screamed ‘fire!’ and I ran out,” she recounted.
Efforts to contain the fire were reportedly hindered by faulty emergency equipment and inadequate water supply.
Students claimed that fire extinguishers were either empty or non-functional, while water taps produced only minimal flow.
“The extinguisher didn’t work, and there was barely any water. The situation could have been worse if we didn’t act quickly,” another student said.
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In a desperate attempt to manage the situation, some students reportedly broke through a back gate to gain access and assist in putting out the fire before emergency responders arrived.
Several students accused the university management of negligence, alleging that persistent electrical faults had not been properly addressed despite previous incidents.
“Fire outbreaks are becoming too frequent here. Just last week, there was another incident. Instead of fixing the electrical issues, they’re trying to blame students,” a Medical Laboratory Science student stated.
Another student described returning to the hostel to find chaos, with security personnel and students scrambling to control the fire using buckets of water.
The incident has reignited fears among students and parents, especially given a similar fire outbreak that occurred in July 2023, also linked to an electrical fault.
As of the time of filing this report, university authorities are yet to release an official statement on the incident.
Students are now calling for urgent intervention, improved safety measures, and a comprehensive overhaul of the hostel’s electrical infrastructure to prevent future occurrences.
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