5,000 Displaced As Fire Razes 100 Shanties, 5 Buildings In Lagos

Over 5,000 people were displaced as fire razed 100 shanties, five buildings and a sawmill at Oko-Baba area of Lagos, South-West, Nigeria.

Five bungalow buildings and a sawmill were also razed in the overnight inferno that started around 10:30pm on Tuesday.

Officials of the Lagos State Fire Service battled for hours to put out the fire. Three water tankers were used in fighting the fire. Each of the tanker contains 10,000 liters of water.

The Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Mr. Rasak Fadipe said his men were attacked by hoodlums while they were carrying out their duties to quell the fire.

He said the hoodlums broke the windscreen of the third vehicles bringing water to fight the fire, describing the act as unfortunate.

According to him, one of the vehicles had accessed the fire scene through Cole Street while another got to the scene through Kadara Street, while the third vehicle, which took another street, was the one that was attacked by the hoodlums.

Fadipe stated that his men responded promptly when it got a distress call that the place was on fire.

He said 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 generator.

General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu said the fire broke out around Ebute Meta by Kadara/Coates Streets affecting many shanties.

“The fire has been curtailed by LASEMA and Fire Services. Over 5,000 people were displaced and sawmill equipment were also destroyed. LASEMA is presently conducting disaster loss,” he said.