One Injured As Fire Destroys Bungalow In Lagos

A 42-year-old man has sustained burn injuries after a fire destroyed an eight-room bungalow at Onitire Road, Itire, Lagos State, while he was attempting to rescue a 75-year-old wheelchair user from the building.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, signed by its Senior Public Affairs Officer, Fadairo Maria.

According to the agency, firefighters rescued both men from the building, while the injured man was taken to Gbagada General Hospital for medical attention.

“The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has successfully contained a fire outbreak at 43 Onitire Road, Smith Bus Stop, Itire, Lagos, rescuing two adult males, one of whom sustained burn injuries,” the statement read.

The agency said it received an emergency call at approximately 9:10pm, while firefighters arrived at the scene at 9:35pm and immediately commenced firefighting and rescue operations.

The fire affected an eight-room bungalow and spread to a three-bedroom flat on the upper floor of an adjoining two-storey residential building.

According to the agency, the bungalow and its contents were severely damaged, while the affected section of the adjoining building and its contents sustained minor damage.

“During the operation, firefighters rescued a 75-year-old man alive from the bungalow. A 42-year-old man, who sustained burn injuries in his earlier bid to rescue the wheel-chair ridden aged man, was also rescued and transported to Gbagada General Hospital by officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) for medical attention,” the statement read.

Firefighters from the Isolo, Sari and Bolade fire stations responded to the incident, with support from the Federal Fire Service, Ojuelegba.

Other emergency responders at the scene included the Lagos Response Unit, LASAMBUS, the Nigeria Police Force, Itire Division, and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.

The agency said the fire was successfully brought under control, adding that investigations were ongoing to establish its exact cause.

“Preliminary assessment suggests that negligence resulting to an electrical surge may have caused the incident; however, the exact cause remains subject to further determination,” the statement read.

The Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Abimbola Adeseye, urged residents to maintain their electrical installations, avoid overloading sockets and engage qualified electricians to inspect and repair faulty electrical systems.

She also advised residents to switch off electrical appliances when not in use and report fire emergencies through the toll-free numbers 112 or 767, or the Lagos Fire hotline, 08033235891.