A sudden power surge hit Jos around 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Though the situation was quickly handled, it had already caused serious damage.

The area had no power for a while before the electricity came back. When the light returned, people were hopeful, but it ended in tragedy as the sudden surge ruined many appliances and caused panic.

Residents tried to save what they could from their homes after the fire. One of them, Mrs. Joy Okpara Uba, called the event very sad.

Mrs. Uba lost her deep freezer and other electronics due to the surge. She said it affected her so much that she couldn’t even go to work.

She shared that her room was filled with black smoke and that she had to stay up all night cleaning. The fire left her too shaken to attend a wake she had planned to go to.

She added that all her electrical appliances were burnt. Her house almost caught fire, but quick help from her neighbors stopped it from getting worse.

Another victim, Madam Ether Eche, aged 38, shared how she barely escaped. She said the electricity had been off due to heavy rain on Saturday. When power was restored on Sunday, people were happy.

She was about to plug in her phone when she saw sparks flying from many devices. As she tried to switch them off, she noticed her control box was already burning. She ran out to get help.

They later found out that some electric poles and meters in other houses were also on fire. People rushed to disconnect their homes to stop the fire from spreading.

She said that while some items were saved, many things were destroyed. But they were thankful the whole community wasn’t burnt down.

For Shade, a 32-year-old woman, the situation became more serious. Her mother, who was resting inside the house, got trapped during the power surge and nearly lost her life.

Shade explained that after Sunday church service, she returned home and saw people running, shouting that lights were sparking everywhere. Some were grabbing their children while others tried to save their belongings.

Then she heard someone say her mother was still inside. She fought to get into the house and found her mother stuck to a stabilizer. With help, they pulled her out and rushed her to Bingham University Teaching Hospital. Thankfully, she survived.

The saddest part of the story was the death of a young man named Edison, a 19-year-old university student and teenage church leader. He d!ed just two hours after attending Sunday service.

Edison had just been admitted to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Bauchi. He was supposed to return to school on Friday, but the power surge ended his life too soon.

His heartbroken mother spoke about what happened. She wasn’t home when it all started, but her sister called to say sparks were flying from every socket.

She told her sister to turn everything off and wait for an electrician. Later, her sister said the fire was out of control.

She then told everyone to leave the house and called neighbors to help. Suddenly, she heard her sister scream that Edison had been shocked and was lying on the floor.

Even after they turned off the power, Edison didn’t move. Sadly, he d!ed from the electric shock.

The Plateau State government has shown concern over the disaster. Officials visited the area to check the damage after being directed by Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

Commissioner Peter Nyam Gai led the team and visited many homes. He said the damage in Rukuba Road community was serious but promised government action.

He offered his sympathy to the victims and said the government would support them and ensure such a disaster does not happen again.