By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
A tragedy struck the U/Boro area of ECWA Hausa and De Jays Hotel in Kaduna as the community’s troubled transformer caught fire on Monday evening. The transformer, which had reportedly malfunctioned multiple times, exploded for the third time before bursting into flames.
Quick-thinking youths in the area managed to extinguish the fire using sand, preventing the transformer from being completely destroyed. The incident occurred between 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., shortly after power was restored following hours of outage that began on Sunday.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing two NEPA workers near the transformer on Sunday evening, replacing fuses. However, when power was restored that night, the transformer exploded for the first time, narrowly missing the workers and sparking safety concerns.
Residents expressed frustration over the recurring transformer issues, lamenting the lack of power in their area despite neighboring communities enjoying electricity. The Monday incident, accompanied by heavy sparks and fire, has heightened their calls for a permanent solution.
When contacted, the Unit Manager of Kaduna Electric’s Ungwan Boro branch, Engineer Paul, denied any connection to the NEPA workers seen at the transformer.
“Good morning. I don’t have any NEPA workers operating under me. You should confirm who accessed your transformer. If you see people working on your transformer, approach them and verify their identity instead of sharing unverified information,” Paul advised.
In a related statement on the KADECO community group chat, the management urged residents to engage directly with authorized personnel.
“If you see anyone working on the transformer, introduce yourself and confirm their identity. You can also liaise with the Service Center Manager, who will keep you updated on developments concerning your transformer,” the management stated.
Residents are now anxiously awaiting a lasting resolution to the persistent power supply issues plaguing their community.
