A 45-year-old man, Yusuf Usman, has died after entering a well converted into a refuse pit in Kwa Town, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State, in an attempt to retrieve a mobile phone.
The incident which occurred on Wednesday was confirmed in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi.
According to the statement, the Fire Service received a distress call at about 11:13 a.m. from one of its staff members, Kabiru Tata, reporting the incident.
The statement said firefighters from the state headquarters were immediately deployed to the scene.
“Upon arrival, they found a 45-year-old man, Yusuf Usman, trapped inside a well that had been converted into a waste disposal pit.
“The victim had reportedly entered the well in an attempt to retrieve a mobile phone that had fallen inside but was unable to climb out,” the statement said.
The fire service added that rescue personnel successfully brought the victim out of the well unconscious.
“He was later confirmed dead, reportedly due to oxygen depletion and heat inside the well,” the statement added.
The remains of the deceased were handed over to the Ward Head of Kwa Town, Alhaji Muktar.
The service said preliminary investigations indicated that the incident occurred while the victim was trying to recover a mobile phone from the well.
Reacting to the incident, the Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Alhaji Sani Anas, appealed to residents to take safety precautions around wells and other confined spaces.
He urged parents, guardians and community leaders to ensure that wells are properly covered and abandoned wells filled to prevent avoidable tragedies.
The fire chief also cautioned residents against entering wells, pits or other enclosed spaces without proper safety measures or professional assistance.
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