By Bertram Nwannekanma
Residents are counting their losses following Monday’s fire outbreak at a residential building in Ikosi, Ketu area of Lagos State. Although no casualty was recorded in the incident, properties worth millions of naira were destroyed.
A resident lamented that she had lost all her property in the fire. She said the fire started from the upper floor of the story building but was prevented from spreading to the ground floors and surrounding buildings.
The Guardian learnt that the fire started at about 8:00p.m. on Monday and could have spread to other buildings, but for timely intervention by firefighters from Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
Although the source of the fire was not ascertained, sources said it could be as a result of storage of power outage at 54 Aladelola Street, Ikosi, Ketu.
Confirming the incident, Director, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs Margaret Adeseye, in a statement, said the fire alert was reported at 18:18 hours Boxing day being the 9th of the 10 emergencies recorded thus far.
This, she said, was coming from 24 emergencies on Christmas day as the highest ever recorded in a given 24 hours, giving much to be desired.
“On arrival at the scene at 18:30 hours by Alausa fire crew before being joined by their Ilupeju counterparts, it was discovered that it is a fire at the upper floor of a storey building with an extended storey boys’ quarter that were torched but prevented from spreading to the ground floors and surrounding buildings.
“The incident, which recorded no casualty is being investigated to unravel the cause while efforts will be redoubled to prevent incessant fire and related emergencies.
“Similarly, the public is further reminded that fuel scarcity is not a yardstick to inappropriate storage of fuel to the detriment of life and property.
“The public is hereby advised to desist from using kegs to store petrol and other flammable liquids just as motorists are advised not to store the same in the booths of their vehicles,” she added.
