BAUCHI —There was commotion, Tuesday, when the popular Zaranda Hotel, Bauchi, caught fire during the opening ceremony of a five-day workshop on revitalisation of adult literacy in the state.

The workshop was organised by the Department of Continuing Education and Extension Services of the National Commission for Mass Literacy/Adult and Non-formal Education in conjunction with UNESCO, with the theme: “Training of Trainers for Revitalization of Adult Literacy in Nigeria.”

The participants were drawn from all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
It was learnt that the fire reportedly started from one of the rooms and was spreading to the whole building without those at the workshop realising that danger was lurking until smoke started to engulf the whole building and a stampede ensued.

Minister of State for Education, Mr Nyeson Wike who declared the event open was represented by the Deputy Director, Nomadic Education Commission, Kaduna, Alhaji Ibrahim Yemta.

However, there was respite for the for the trainees when the personnel of state fire service put off the fire when was noticed at about 6.49am, before the whole building was gutted.

According to sources, the inferno started from one of the rooms on the seventh floor gutted all the rooms on the floor, even as the occupant of the particular room where it began was downstairs, taking fresh air within the hotel premises.

The Duty Manager (name withheld) could not explain the cause of the inferno as she was not authorized to talk to the press.

Alhaji Musa Bukar, a participant and occupant of room 712  said he also, did  not know the cause of the inferno.

Zaranda is the biggest hotel in the Northeast geopolitical zone and is alleged to be owned by the Bauchi State government and other states in the region.