Lagos fires destroy goods worth millions of naira in Ikorodu, Surulere

Two separate fire outbreaks in the Ikorodu and Surulere areas of Lagos State have destroyed goods and property worth millions of naira, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, has reported.

The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.

According to him, the first incident occurred in the early hours of Monday at Adamo Bus Stop, Ikorodu, where a fire suspected to have resulted from faulty electrical wiring spread from a hairdressing shop to neighbouring shops.

Oke-Osanyintolu said three shops were affected in the incident, with goods and other property worth millions of naira destroyed.

He said emergency responders from LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Imota, quickly mobilised to the scene and brought the fire under control before completely extinguishing it.

“Preliminary findings revealed that the fire originated from a spark from electrical wiring which ignited the roof of a hairdressing shop and spread to adjoining shops,” he said.

The permanent secretary added that responders carried out dampening-down operations to guard against a possible re-ignition, stressing that no death or injury was recorded.

In a separate incident later on Monday morning, fire also gutted two shops at 19 Olatunde Onimole Street, near Bakery Bus Stop, Surulere.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the affected businesses dealt in furniture and provisions, adding that both shops were completely destroyed along with their contents.

He said the cause of the Surulere fire had not yet been established, while confirming that there were no casualties or injuries. Dampening-down operations were also carried out at the scene to prevent the fire from reigniting.

Meanwhile, LASEMA teams responded to several road emergencies across Lagos between Sunday and Monday.

The permanent secretary said the agency’s Alpha Eagle Response Team from the Cappa, Oshodi LASEMA Response Unit attended to a truck that broke down at Olupese Bus Stop, inward Cappa, on Sunday afternoon.

The truck, with registration number T-12930LA, was reportedly transporting soft drinks when a mechanical fault rendered it immobile and caused a traffic obstruction.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the response team diverted traffic and worked with the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Nigeria Police to remove the truck using LASEMA’s heavy-duty Super Metro equipment.

“The truck was successfully recovered to a lay-by, restoring free flow of traffic,” he said.

Also on Sunday, the LASEMA LRT Tiger Squad at C3 responded to a road traffic accident on the Third Mainland Bridge, inward Obalende, involving a yellow commercial bus that overturned following a reported tyre burst.

The vehicle was subsequently towed to the LASTMA yard at Olowu, while LASEMA paramedics and LASAMBUS personnel administered immediate medical attention to those affected.

In the early hours of Monday, the LASEMA Alpha Eagle Team also responded to a tanker breakdown on Ilupeju Road, inward Cappa.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the empty tanker, whose registration number was unknown, developed a mechanical fault and obstructed traffic.

He said the tanker was evacuated to a nearby lay-by with assistance from the Nigeria Police and LASEMA’s Super Metro recovery equipment, allowing normal traffic movement to resume.

The LASEMA permanent secretary commended the emergency responders for their professionalism and coordination during the various incidents, particularly LASTMA, LASAMBUS, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Nigeria Police and the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps.

“The Lagos State Government remains committed to protecting lives and property through continuous investment in personnel training, modern equipment, and the decentralisation of LASEMA Response Units to ensure a world-class emergency response time,” he said.

Oke-Osanyintolu urged residents to ensure proper maintenance of their vehicles and comply with electrical safety standards to reduce the risk of avoidable emergencies.