At least five men have died while excavating sand at Bichi local government area, about 40 kilometers away from the Kano metropolis.

The men became trapped under a heap of sand at Yanlami village, the Kano state fire service confirmed.

A statement issued to newsmen by the Public Relations Officer of the fire service, Alhaji Saminu Abdullahi, on Sunday, March 6, in Kano said the tragic incident occurred on Saturday morning, March 5.

“We received a distress call from Bichi Fire Station that puddle trench has covered five people. We sent our rescue team to the scene at about 11:05a.m.,’” Abdullahi said in the statement.

He added: “The victims were trapped while working in a puddle trench to get sand with the intention to help their friend who was about to marry build a house.  Part of the sand collapsed and covered them and they died subsequently.”

He gave the names of the victims as Alasan Abdulhamid, 22,  Jafaru Abdulwahabu, 30, Jibrin Musa, 30, Masaudu Nasiru, 25, Muhammad Sulaiman, 35.

Abdullahi said the five victims were exhumed unconscious and later confirmed dead.