Two firefighters hospitalised as fire engulfs Lagos building
Two Firefighters Hospitalized Following Lagos Fire Incident
LAGOS – Two firefighters are receiving medical attention after collapsing while combating a blaze that engulfed the top floor of a three-storey residential building in the Ketu-Ikosi area early Sunday morning.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incident in a statement released by spokesperson Olawale Afolabi. The fire broke out around 6:31 a.m. in one of two adjoining buildings located at No. 11 Ademola Taiwo Street and was reportedly caused by an electrical surge from a prepaid meter.
Emergency responders from LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service quickly arrived at the scene and managed to contain the fire, preventing it from spreading to the adjacent structure and surrounding properties.
“The fire had engulfed the topmost floor of the affected building upon the arrival of the Tiger Squad,” Afolabi noted. “Swift and coordinated firefighting operations were initiated to control the blaze.”
Preliminary investigations suggested the fire originated from an electrical surge associated with the prepaid meter on the building’s balcony before extending to the upper floor.
During firefighting efforts, two firefighters from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service collapsed. They were promptly transported to the Trauma Centre by LASEMA’s response team for urgent medical care. Afolabi reported that both officers are currently stable.
LASEMA also indicated that there were no injuries or fatalities among the building’s residents. Ongoing dampening-down operations aim to eliminate residual heat and mitigate the risk of further outbreaks, while recovery efforts to secure the structure and assess damage are underway.
In a statement, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, emphasized the importance of regular inspections and maintenance of electrical systems, particularly prepaid meters and wiring, to minimize risks of such incidents. He encouraged community members to remain calm during emergencies, cooperate with responders, and report incidents via the Lagos State emergency toll-free numbers, 112 and 767.
