The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has attributed the cause of a fire that engulfed a three-storey building in the Apongbon area of the state to careless handling of a generator set.
The fire, which reportedly started at about 12.24pm on Monday, also destroyed several goods whose worth has yet to be ascertained.
The building, according to a statement on Monday by the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, was occupied by wig vendors.
Adeseye noted that the quick intervention of men from the LSFRS, however, curtailed the escalation of the fire.
She said, “The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has initiated a comprehensive operation to contain a fire outbreak at 48 Breadfruit Street, Apongbon, Lagos, which began at approximately 12:24hrs on Monday.
“The blaze, originating from the second floor of a three-story building primarily housing various hair wigs, prompted a swift and coordinated response from multiple fire crews, including those stationed at Ebute Elefun, Sari Iganmu, Dolphin, and Alausa of the agency, as well as the Federal Fire Service.
“Despite challenges posed by the difficult terrain and heightened concerns among traders, the fire has been successfully extinguished, preventing its spread to adjacent properties and salvaging what remains of the affected structure.”
The LSFRS boss, who noted that there were no casualties recorded in the incident, blamed the cause of the fire on the careless handling of a generator.
“There have been no reported casualties, and the cause of the fire is attributed to careless handling of a generator,” Adeseye stated.
It was earlier reported that no fewer than 6,700 traders lost their goods to a fire that gutted the popular Mandilas building on Broad Street, Lagos Island Local Government Area of the state.
Also, 450 shops, 30 offices, two hotels, and five restaurants were destroyed by the impact of the fire, which affected the 14-storey building.
The Lagos State Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the numbers of the affected traders.
The fire reportedly started from the first floor of the building and spread to the seventh floor, caused by careless welding during the installation of a power generator on the second floor of the Mandilas building in Lagos, leading to the fire incident.
Recall that similarly, on February 4, a plank market located at the Awori bus stop in the Abule Egba area of the state caught fire, destroying goods and properties worth millions of naira.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
