Fire kills 113 people, destroys N24.69bn worth of property in Lagos

Kunle Babatope

The Lagos State government has said that fire burnt 113 people to death and destroyed N24.69bn worth of property in the last two years.

The Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Tayo Bamgbose-Martins said this at a ministerial briefing to mark the second year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration in office in Alausa on Wednesday.

The commissioner added that 312 people were rescued alive from fire incidents within the periods.

According to him, while fire destroyed property worth N24.69 billion, the Lagos State Fire Services was able to salvage properties worth N138.54 billion from the inferno.

Bamgbose-Martins noted that the fire services attended to 1,899 fire calls in the last two years, whereas it had reduced the occurrence of fire outbreaks by 10%.

He said: “The Service also responded to 312 rescue calls within the period under review. In its rescue operations, 203 victims have been rescued alive while 113 other victims were recovered, suspected dead.

“The Service attended to 98 False Calls, bringing the total number of fire and other related emergencies that were attended in the last two years to 2,309.

“In the cause of operation, Property estimated at N138.54 billion was saved from Fire and related emergencies during the period under review.”

Answering questions during the briefing, the Director-General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Lanre Mojola disclosed that the commission registered over 6,000 facilities before they commenced operations amid the COVID-19 Pandemic.

He added that the agency issued 4,250 events safety clearances and shot 450 clubs, bars, restaurants, event centres that violated COVID-19 protocols.

Mojola further stated that the commission prosecuted 720 people for COVID-19 violations in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, as well deployed 1,200 safety marshals to event Centres.