Fire Razes 5 Houses In Lagos

Fire has razed five bungalows, 100 make-shift shops and a sawmill at Oko-Baba area of Ebute Meta, Lagos, southwest Nigeria.

The fire started at about 10:30 p.m. and raged for hours until it was quelled by officials of the Lagos State Fire Service who responded with three water tankers, each containing 10,000 litres of water.

Fire servicemen who stormed the scene to put out the fire were allegedly attacked by hoodlums who shattered the windscreen of one of the water trucks, says Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe.

•Victims of Oko Baba fire disaster in Ebute Meta this morning at the scene of the incident which occurred last night. PHOTO: IDOWU OGUNLEYE

According to him, the hoodlums broke the windscreen of the third vehicle bringing water to fight the fire, describing the act as unfortunate.

Fadipe explained that one of the vehicles had accessed the fire scene through Coates Street, while another got to the scene through Kadara Street, and the third vehicle which took another street was the one that was attacked by the hoodlums.

He said the fire service responded promptly when it got a distress call that the place was on fire, adding that the fire consumed five houses, 100 multiple bolt-up buildings and a sawmill.

Fadipe stated that the fire servicemen were able to save several other properties from being consumed by the inferno, saying that the fire was caused by a faulty electricity generator.

Spokesperson, National Emergency Management Authority, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye said there was no casualty and that his men could not count the number of structures affected as they were temporary structures built with planks.

“Except the residents give the number of buildings affected, one cannot estimate the number. The people struggled to take control of the fire fighting themselves, thus endangering their lives after they resisted and they turned against the fire men,” he said.

Speaking about another incident, Fadipe said fire consumed a 3-bedroom flat in a 2-storey building at 14, Ayoade Street, Bajulaye, Shomolu last night.

He appealed to the public to be careful in handling electrical appliances and learn to quickly send alert if there was an emergency.